The Last Warrior of Lordaeron
by Draco135-60
Summary: The story of the last few remaining survivors of Lordaeron and the warrior who must protect them.Recollections of the past lives of the survivors. Loyalty,Betrayal,Loss...
1. The Remnants

**The Last Warrior of Lordaeron**

**Warcraft Fic By Draco13560**

**Chapter 1: The Remnants**

_The time has long since past since the battle on Mount Hyjal. The Frozen Throne has now been claimed and a new King has risen. Civilizations rise from the ashes of the old. The lands of the once great Lordaeron is no more, only the Forsaken remain. But what of the ones who still try to make their stand? What of those who try to continue this crusade…that they lead in vain?_

The mornings above Tirisfal Glades was the glorious sight that I had looked forward to when I reach the peak. The morning calm was always soothing but they say "the calm, before the storm" always occurs. I just hoped that every morning when I reached that peak that this old saying remained just an old saying that the old sages kept preaching. I didn't care for it. Each time I act as sentry, I hope to see nothing more than just the sun rising over the mountains. But that was never the case. No, not since we are hunted.

We are the last remaining survivors of Lordaeron, the ones who were left behind. The ones who thought they could never forsake their homeland, even if it meant their deaths. That soon became the case.

I am Orias, one of the last, few paladins that remain on this earth. Although, truly I am not officially proclaimed as one since the untimely demise of Council of the Paladin Orders. Under the circumstances, I _am_ one of the last few remaining warriors of the waning order. I now act as a member of the defense squadron that was drafted into protecting the survivors of Lordaeron.

Not many of us were left after the Scourge did away with most of us during our escape into the mountains. The screams were everywhere and they still remain ringing in my ears. The sounds of blood being spilled and bodies collapsing to the ground. The frantic scramble and confusion our people suffered trying to escape from the slaughter. _We_ were entitled to defend these people from the masses of the Scourge. _We_ were to ensure their survival into the mountains. But how could we save most of them if half of them are already dead at our feet, trampling over their corpses in attempt to get through to the trails. I remember them all.

Yet the remaining survivors were able to get through after many sacrificed their lives to protect us. Including the last of the Paladin Order, my brothers, were laid to waste, their corpses desecrated and left to rot.

I reflected over these thoughts each and every time I reach the peak. The sunrise may have been beautiful but it was a constant reminder that it was just another day that we are hunted. Searched for by the undead. We hid our small village within the mountain's protective crater but how long would it be until the undead will find us? _I_ will make sure they do not.

Along with scouting the peak, I make my daily routine in patrolling the village. Another comfort I take in everyday is patrolling this small village. It reminds me so much of a time so long ago…well it has seemed so long ago. The citizens of Lordaeron carrying on their daily lives. They lived to work, to laugh, to study, to play, to live their lives as they wanted! But even that is a thing of the past now. Now we live in constant fear. Trying to dodge the wary eyes of the Scourge. Surviving in anyway we can.

This was our reality until we were able to fight them once again. One day our salvation will come. Our lands will be saved from the Scourge. And our citizens will once again know peace. But today was not that day.


	2. A Sign

**Chapter 2: A Sign**

"Orias! Orias! Over here!" I had heard this familiar voice call me from over on the other side of the path I was heading down. It was Danaris, captain of our guard and my old friend. He ran toward me in his battered battle armor, panting frantically. Something had gone wrong.

"What is it?"

"Orias, the--Huff, huff--lower farm areas are--Huff--under attack!"

"What!? The Undead have found us?"

"No, this is the work of Gnolls from the lower regions! I did not receive news till--"

"We don't have any time to waste, we have to bring the guard down there now!"

"I already have a squadron of footman down there now, trying to keep the villagers from getting slaughtered but they won't last long without your help."

"Take me to them."

Danaris led me further down the path where a few spearmen and footman were waiting to accompany us in the upcoming battle. Why were these Gnolls here? Most of them stayed in the lower regions and never ventured far from their territory. Something must have driven them here.

We treaded through the forest brush and down into the lower regions of the mountains. Screams, they were present before we even arrived. The villagers were panicking and fleeing for their lives as the oncoming raiders gave chase.

The local militia armed for battle were the first being picked off by the Gnoll raiders. The small band of footman were assisting the fallen and supporting the failing line. The Gnolls gave no quarter nor fear toward the footman. They were crazed for battle. Clanging of steel against steel, the howls and the battle cries rose from the battle.

We had quickly assisted our brethren in the fighting, while ushering the villagers out of harms way.

I quickly slashed away at the Gnoll brutes and they started to recede. Then a bone-chilling howl came from afar. The battle cry came from no less a burly Gnoll Overseer with silver mane and scarred of battle. The Gnolls turned fiercer and more daring with their leader present. The monster bashed away nearby footmen that were foolishly ready to challenge such a fiend.

This battle would not end well unless the leader was taken down. Without their overseer to protect and guide the rest of these Gnolls they will quickly retreat. I saw my opportunity as soon as the path was clear.

The Gnoll crushed one of the fallen footman's head with its feet. It's crazed eyes searched for another enemy to slay, its eyes rested on me as its next target. With another howl, it rushed toward me with great speed and had its fangs and blade ready to strike.

It had made its first strike down upon me with its forepaw and landed with great force upon the shield I bared. Grinding its claws through the metal. The Gnoll Overseer snarled and frothed at the sides of its deadly fangs. It took another opportunity to bring its blade into play and had tried to strike me. I dodged but did not come out unscathed. A small gash was left where the jagged schitmer blade landed.

I quickly turned in a round-about and jabbed my sword into the beast's shoulder. An unholy cry came from it as it realized the pain. It flailed wildly in pain. I was thrown off to the ground. The Gnoll made another lunge after me.

My blade was barely lifted before it had come upon me. Blood was spilled. But it was not mine but the Gnoll's. As it charged it speared itself as I was trying to raise my sword within defense. I had come lucky but the Gnoll met its fate. The Gnoll made a last death cry and fell to the ground as a pool of black blood formed around it.

The rest of the Gnolls started to fall as the archers from the town had arrived and rained hails of arrows upon them. Soon their corpses were all that remained. None had survived the archers' arrows.

I stood up and looked upon the battle ground. Among the upturned earth and dead corpses I found strange foul mist that lingered in the battlefield. I glared at the horizon where the Gnolls first approached when they came to raid the small farm.

"Orias! The villagers are back in the Central Town. They are safe and being lodged. As for the Gnolls they're all--what is wrong?"

"Burn the farm and the corpses, Danaris. Leave not a trace behind."

"What?! Burn all…have you gone mad?! Our men who had fallen, do they not deserve a burial?"

"Look on the battlefield, Danaris, what do you see?"

"Other than the ruined mess? Nothing."

" There's a mist, Danaris."

Danaris gave me a confused look. At the rate I'm sounding I could not blame him for looking at me as if I were crazy.

"There is always mist in the morning within the mountains."

"I've seen this type of mist before haven't you?"

Danaris looked at the corpses.

"Back in the Capital City? You don't suggest that…"

"Yes, I do the Undead have advanced at the mountain's base. These Gnolls were driven up here."

"And this mist…"

"Is the same mist that arises from blighted land or those who are damned to the undead."

"My God…"

"Burn the farm and the corpses, Danaris, our fallen comrades would rather be cremated than become another soldier to the undead."

"Yes…I understand."

Danaris left to carry out the orders. I looked back upon the dead Gnoll Overseer. I could not blame it for leading its people up the mountain even if it meant attacking our village. It did it so its people could survive. It did it in desperation. Something that I know all too well.


	3. An Unsettled Night

**Chapter 3: An Unsettled Night**

The corpses, the farm, even the part of the forest that surrounded were burned down to ashes. I did not want one trace of the Plague to spread back to the village. I sworn Danaris to secrecy until tonight at the council meeting. There I might explain to the situation to the town elders. I could not have the whole populace in panic. There was already talk and restlessness about the Gnoll attacks.

By the moonrise, the council assembled at the Town Hall to discuss the attacks. But unknown to them it was more than just about the Gnolls, much more. Socrates, one of the town elders as well Arisman were already arguing before I even arrived.

"Again with your babble, Arisman! Are you so determined that our fate is doomed here in the mountains?"

Arisman quickly rose from his seat to challenge Socrates.

"I did not say our fate lies within these dreary conditions upon this mountain! But you make plans as if it were! These outlying farms are unnecessary exposure to the Central Town. You might as light a signal to the Undead that we are here!"

"How else are we to feed our people?! And what other plans do you suggest?!"

"To take to the sea."

"Preposterous!"

"You scoff at my idea but what of yours Socrates?! To raise again the once glorious armies of Lordaeron?! You live in the past! I say take to the sea as others have done! Even the Orcs were smart enough to leave these lands!"

Socrates clenched his worn fists and stood resolute.

"I was born in these lands and in these lands I will die!"

"Are you willing to take all 800 of us with you Socrates?! Is that what you are suggesting?! The Undead have massed an army that consumed this land and maybe soon take this world! We have no chance in fighting them. Their numbers are great and ours are dwindling the longer we stay upon this mountain."

Socrates took in another deep breath before he spoke again.

"So you suggest we take to the sea? I ask you how? How are we to leave! The Undead surround every bend and the travel to the shore is a 10-days trip! The Scourge will have picked us off one by one before we even make it there!"

Arisman was silenced as was the rest of the council. We were presented with this dilemma time and time again. Risk leaving to the shore or stay for the Undead to find us?

Socrates resumed his speech to the council.

"There is no point in leaving. Our priority now is to survive. As long undead haven't found us yet we will--"

"That is the issue I have come to present to the council today, Socrates."

Socrates turned his head to me in a startled expression.

"What do you mean, Orias? "

"The Gnoll attacks today…"

"Were suppressed thanks to your valiant efforts."

"Yes, but have you not wondered why they came this far up upon the mountain?"

"In search for food maybe I…"

"They were running away, Socrates."

A worried murmur started in the council. Socrates raised his hand to silence them.

"What were they running from?"

"The Undead Scourge."

"What?! That's absurd, the Undead are still fighting Lord Garithos' forces to the west. How could they be so concentrated here?"

I have Lord Garithos once before. A pompous bigoted knight, may take kindly to his own race but still more of an ass if I had ever seen one. I doubt that he was able to hold them, even if he had a legion of the Alliance forces with him.

"The fact of the matter is that the Undead are within present vicinity. They pose a threat to the Central Town. As such we need to make pre-emptive maneuvers before they discover us."

"How can you be so certain? Those Gnolls may just have been--"

"What else could have driven them here, Arisman? A bunch of rabbits? Gnolls are known to be illogical but still retain enough instinct to run away from something that poses an ominous threat."

"Then…what do you suggest we do?

"Bring the villagers from the outside farms. If the Undead find them there they will be sure to search for the rest of us. As for defensive measures we need to seal off most of the mountain passes."

"You can't be serious! Close our selves off?!"

"We will be able to clear the paths once more once the Undead start to leave from this place."

"And how long will that be!" Arisman pounded the meeting table.

"We are not sure. We can never be sure with the Undead."

"This is suicide!"

"And our only option, Arisman." Socrates announced. He knew as well as I did that we could not fight back against the Undead. Even if we could have, the Undead will send more. Much more until we were wiped out.

The council gave uneasy looks but had agreed. By the next morning the entire will be enclosed until further notice. The Dwarves that had come with us during the escape from Capital City, will be returning from their usual supply runs. They were brave enough to go out in the wilderness and forage for these supplies to bring to us. Even though their numbers have started to dwindle each time they left.

With them returning, will also bring another great necessity, gunpowder. We will need them to block off the passes.

The council was adjourned. Arisman was still fuming about the results of the council had decided on. Socrates has already left for bed, tired of all that has happened. The rest of the council were still at unease. This showed how much faith they had in our defense forces. How much faith they had for me.

I was last to leave the Town Hall. Merely admiring the last flickering of a worn candle until it was snuffed out by the wind. I left slowly out for the door. As I was opening it, a chilling breeze greeted me as I left. The night was cold, colder than it usually was.

I stood there staring out into the night sky. I had wondered when this day would come. I wondered if I was strong enough to protect them. Protect them from the slaughter that was to come.


	4. Arrivals

**Chapter 4: Arrivals**

The villagers had become restless as news of the Gnoll attacks had finally reached them. Rumors had been spread and the villagers were on the verge of panic. The outpost guards were put on high alert and this made them edgy. With the Dwarves coming in from the supply runs, we had to be careful as to risk of exposure. There was no guarantee they would come at all this day. There had been delays before and on those days there was always fewer and fewer of them that would come back. I had also feared that the Undead might have done away with them while trying to return.

I had my hand on the hilt of my blade. It also seemed that I was on edge as well. My plan would only come into succession if the Dwarves had come with the supplies. Otherwise…I would not like to think what _would_ happen otherwise.

The archers at the guard towers drew out their bows and readied their arrows. A rumbling sound came from the bottom of the trail. I had rushed up to the tower to see to this new disturbance myself. Whatever was coming up the trail, it was too small too see who they were. When they had come around the bend, we soon found who had come to our doorstep.

"HEY! HEY! GET YOUR ASSES DOWN HERE!! THIS STUFF IS HEAVY!!!"

The archers gave off sounds of disgust as they lowered their bows. I finally breathed a sigh of relief. The outpost guards opened the gates and let in the exhausted caravan. The band of Dwarves led in their pack horses. Leading the Dwarves was their leader, Banquo Thunderhand and his brother Menteith EagleEye.

"Orias! It has been awhile! Ha Ha! Good to see you lad."

"Its good to see you alive and well, Banquo."

"Ack, barely with all this travel and hiding. Not to mention those greedy Goblins. It is lucky they didn't cheat us out of everything we had. But we brought the essentials! An abundant amount of heavy meats and keggers full of booze to have us hammered till the next sundering!"

"And then some!" Menteith added as he shouldered his rifle.

"Hey, Kelv! Get your hands off the keg ya bastard!" Menteith yelled and pursued a dwarf trying to carry off one of the wooden barrels for himself.

I couldn't help but laugh. As unkempt and trigger happy Menteith is, he is one of the sharpest snipers around. Well, when he's sober anyway. As for Banquo, he has been a trusted and proven ally as well as a good friend. He oversees the Dwarves, the supply missions, and tries to make sure his caravan return here in one piece each time they leave for a mission. It was good to have them back. Because I knew we would need their help more than ever now.

"Banquo, did you bring the gunpowder?"

Banquo turned his attention from his brother wrestling another Dwarf for the keg to me.

"Of course, along with the tools, iron, seeds for planting, and other things that were on the inventory list. I made sure we brought it. Why do you ask?"

I hesitated before I could say anything. The images of the dead Gnolls that were infected with the blight still come into my mind whenever the attacks were mentioned. But I had to tell Banquo what must be done.

"We need the gunpowder to close off the mountain passes."

Banquo was shocked at the mention of closing the passes. The passes were the only way on or off the mountain aside from the few gyrocopters.

"What?! What would drive you to do that Orias?"

"The Undead are advancing to the mountains base. There have been an attack on one of the outer farms by Gnolls. When we defeated them, signs of blight was present within their corpses."

"Say your only foolin' boy. There were no Undead when we passed with our caravan."

"They are advancing from Tirisfal Glades. Which is strange considering there was no activity there since the Elves lands were taken by the Undead. Most of which they have just been stewing there for the past few months but now they have started to stir."

"You are only basing this on one attack. You can't blow the passes just because a few Gnolls attacked."

"I can't risk the town's security, if they come--"

"I know your worries, lad. Believe me, the last thing I want is the town attacked by the Undead. But even if we do close off the passes, who's to say how long they will stay within this region. The town can not hold out for that long without supplies."

I clenched my fist, I knew he would bring that point up. Banquo was right, there was no telling when the Undead would pass or if they ever would pass.

"Look, Orias just let one of my boys go up on the copters. Let him scan the skies. This would guarantee if the Undead were present or not. They're not much on hiding since they always travel in the masses and there stench and blight around them are undeniable traces of them. If they are coming, we will blow the passes and keep the town safe. If they are not, it will set everyone's mind at ease."

I pondered on this thought and found it the only rational idea. Reconnaissance would be valuable.

"Alright Banquo, we will wait until one of your scouts return."

"Good reasoning, boy. Menteith!"

"HA!! I got the keg back!"

"Menteith get off of Kelv now! We need him for copter duty!"

"Ah fine! I'll let the bastard go! At least we know he'll be sober for the trip! HA HA!"


	5. Feasting and Contemplations

**Chapter 5: Feasting and Contemplations**

With the Dwarves return, the populace's morale was uplifted. Upon each return meant a grand feast to celebrate but I was in no mood to celebrate after what had happened. The night was soon filled with laughter and sounds of celebration.

Most of Banquo's Dwarves were drunk and singing unintelligibly while the rest were clapping along. A bonfire was made in the middle of the village square. A mass of the villagers surrounded its warmth as they feasted.

I was set on the edge of a loud table, drinking from a mug that one of the dwarves had passed to me. I had only drunk a quarter and left the rest aside. Unlike the others, I can not drink my problems away. I excused myself from the table and strolled down the series of buildings and hovels alongside the dirt path. As I was walking down the path, I observed the people around the bonfire.

I could see Danaris and the other men were gambling with cards. Danaris was never much the gambling type. He always lost. But I think it was never the money that mattered. Just diversion that is what it really was. The whole feast was merely a diversion. The kitchen maids were busy cooking, trying to keep up with the quickly disappearing food. Socrates was going on with his stories of grandeur to his audience. The children were already at play, running with a few of the hunting dogs.

This was all a shroud to obscure the reality of our situation. But…this was glimpse of peace that is rarely seen. Are we always to remain cowering in fear of being found by the Undead?

A sudden tugging at the side of my tunic had disturbed my train of thought. I looked to see what caused the tugging or more like whom. It was one of the children, Roland, with his sister, Gabriel. They were ages ten and eight respectively. Back in the Capital city, they were separated from their parents and haven't heard from them when we regrouped in the mountains. So they remain with Jessica, a caretaker of the orphans that were among the caravan.

"Orias, you didn't come yesterday." Roland said to me with a look of disappointment.

"Yesterday?" I was confused as I had forgotten everything except the Gnoll attack that day.

"You said you would bring us to the waterfall with the others but you never came."

I did not know how to answer at that moment. I could say nothing but smile and ruffle Roland's hair.

"I'm sorry, I…I ran into some trouble yesterday. I'll make it up to both of you later on when I'm not busy, I promise."

"Yay! So come play with us now!" Gabriel exclaimed.

"I--"

"I see that you are currently preoccupied with the children, Orias. Are they worth your time today? Or are you still busy, even now?" A voice resounded behind me.

I turned to see Jessica with her arms folded and giving me a menacing look. I tried to give a sign of greeting but refrained from doing so. She turned her attention toward the children.

"Roland, take your sister and go play elsewhere, please. I have to talk to Orias."

Roland did not say a word but took his sister's hand and lead her away. She watched them leave and when they were a distance away she turned to me again.

"Why do you keep doing this, Orias? All these promises you make them and--"

"You know about the Gnoll attacks, Jessica. I could not neglect my duties for that."

"Orias…this isn't about forgetting the trip you promised them. It was the promise itself. You continue to promise them such things, only to disappoint them later because you did not come through on that promise."

"You know that is not my intention."

"Intention or not, it is inexcusable. Orias, all you do is feed them false hope. I can not stand to see them…see them disappointed any further. It breaks my heart just to see them crying at night, longing for their mothers."

"Then do you also believe that I will not keep the most important promise I made with them? That I am not capable of finding their parents?"

Jessica softened her expression but she turned away from me.

"I--I wish that you could…for their sake. I wish that I could see them return to their families. I wish that none of this ever happened! But wishes alone can not change what has been done."

I rested my hand on her shoulder and she leaned her back against my chest. She still did not turn to show her face to me. She was obviously hiding her expressions of sadness.

"I appreciate what you do for the children. Even in times like these, you seem to be able to comfort them. I know that you've been busy with the town's security. It must be a taxing labor."

"Yes…but it seems that you have the hardest job of all. Being a mother of 24 orphans is not something that is easily skirted."

I could not see her face but I could feel that she smiled at that moment. She withdrew herself and composed herself before she faced me again. She bowed respectively and excused herself. I watched her walk away.

"Aye! Orias!" A loud voice shouted.

I turned and saw that it was Banquo who was calling me. He guzzled down his mug of booze and wiped his beard.

"Where were you off to lad? The party is just getting started and you be disappearing on me."

"I was originally trying to find someone."

Banquo was about to take another sip from his mug but stopped to give me a look.

"It wouldn't be Sara now, eh?"

I did not reply but Banquo nodded his head in understanding what was unsaid. He motioned to sit on the steps of the town hall. I rested on the steps alongside Banquo with his mug still in his hand.

"It's no use trying to order that girl to do anything. She be defiant as they come. Mind you that she not be the cheery type. She never comes to the festivities, that girl."

I nodded accordingly to his words as I listened to the sounds of the night. Banquo guzzled down whatever was left in his mug before he spoke again.

"But she's scrappy that one. You said before that she's a daughter of a noble? Heh, surprised when I heard that. She doesn't fit the description. Anyway, getting back to what I was originally gonna ask. Why are you looking for her anyway?"

"She usually trains outside with that spear she always carries with her. I wanted her to come to the Central Town after the Gnoll attacks but I have yet heard a reply from her."

"Sigh…never one to carry out orders. But that spear that she carries with her, made of mithril ain't it? Can't find that kind of metal just anywhere. To a dwarves' eyes it is the first thing you spot."

"Yes, she told me that she received it from a master who had taught her how to use it. It was supposedly used in the Second War after all Sara's master was once a general during that time."

"Ahh…yes, things like that can not be bought, can only be passed down. A weapon made of such rare metal."

"You ran a business in the Capital City before did you not?"

"Aye, sold metals from Khaz Modan. My brother and I traveled from Azeroth to Lordaeron and back many times. Business was slow until the Orc's from the internment camps started to stir up trouble."

Banquo stared at his mug and disappointedly threw it aside as he stared at the night sky.

"Yes, that's when it all started. Then there was the Undead. They started to cause trouble. At first…I thought it a blessing. Business was good because of all of it. With war comes a need of weapons. With a need of weapons there is a need of metals. That was what my mind was set on. Just the business. I thought it would blow over in the end. But…that didn't happen now did it?"

"Life seems to never turn out the way you expect it to. Such is the reality of our situation."

"Aye…"

We became silent afterwards. It had all seemed so long ago. A century, a millennium, an eon ago. Had it been, it would have been just as easily forgotten. But that was not the case. Such things are never meant to be forgotten. Only to be replayed within the mind over and over again.


	6. Rallying Forces

**Chapter 6: Rallying Forces**

The morning after…had no signs of a hangover, thankfully. I was able to make my trip to the peak with no trouble. The sun rose above the horizon and illuminated the signs of what remained of the morning mist. I took in the fresh morning air as it was always the most refreshing above the peak. I had continued to gaze at the morning sunrise until something had broken the calm of morning.

Loud cracking sounds came from above the sky. Rattling echoed throughout the mountain and the sound was quickly heard by the rousing populace. I quickly made my way down the path to the village.

Banquo was waking up his brother who was lying unconscious on the ground. He obviously had too much of a good time last night.

"Hey! Hey! Menteith! Wake up! I can't believe you slept on the ground throughout the blasted night!" Banquo yelled in outrage.

"AH, blow it out of ya ear! Ugh…and quit yelling will ya? It's like a loud cracking sound in my ears." Menteith replied in a disgruntled way.

"It ain't--wait…where _is_ that sound coming from?"

Banquo scanned the skies and spotted a gyro copter hovering towards the town.

"Ah! Kelv's back already."

"Aye! But the bastard's flying is worse than usual. I thought I sent him up sober. I knew he still keeps that damn secret flask of his. He never shares with me…"

Some of the villagers had come out of their homes to investigate the loud sounds that interrupted their once calm morning. I continued to observe the gyro copter slowly making its way to the village.

"Banquo…" I said slowly.

"Aye, Orias! Yes, it's Kelv alright. I didn't think he'd return so soon but--"

"Banquo, why isn't he slowing down?"

"What? What are you talking about--?"

"HIT THE DECK!" Menteith yelled as he took cover.

The gyro copter had swerved down and narrowly missed us. It made a screechy landing as it collided with the stone path to the central village square. Pieces of debris flew everywhere as it made its final stop.

Banquo and Menteith ran ahead as I followed them to the crash site. The smoldering mass of metal smoked from the miniature fires that had sprouted. Banquo and Menteith had already started to shove aside the debris. I quickly joined them in their frantic search of the pilot.

"Kelv! Damn it all boy!" Menteith yelled.

Menteith carefully pulled Kelv from the pilot's seat. Blood dripped from Kelv's battered body. The seat of the gyro copter had been drenched in blood. I helped Menteith set Kelv down as Banquo ran to send for the doctor.

"Kelv! Listen to me you bastard! What happened to you! Who did this!"

Kelv did not reply. Instead he coughed up more blood that dripped from the sides of his mouth. Menteith quickly turned to me and grabbed my shoulder.

"Orias! Please tell me…Please! Tell me that you learned healing magic's from that Council of Silver Horses or whatever! Tell me!"

"I--I will try…"

I extended my hand onto Kelv's chest and focused on his life forces. He was quickly dwindling away. I will not have much time to try and heal him immediately. I focused to link my life force to his. I moved with my finger to draw the rune of light across Kelv's chest. I muttered words that I have remembered from the Paladin's ancient texts.

I could slowly feel the light emanating from my hand and the wounds had started to close.

"Ha…Ha…They really did teach you well. They taught you very well, Orias! I think Kelv's breathing is back to normal!"

"Orias! What has happened!" The doctor ran with Banquo to the crash site.

The doctor observed the wounds on Kelv and quickly administered a mixture of herbs for Kelv's pain.

"Kelv…listen to me. What happened? What did this to you?" Banquo asked slowly.

"G…Ga…Gargoyles…so…many…AGH!"

The doctor started to bandage Kelv's wounds. A look ran across Banquo's and Menteith's faces. Fear, a look of complete and utter fear.

It was not long until the town council had met again. The mood was dreary as the town elders had talked among themselves. Banquo laid down a map on the Council table.

"I had Kelv explore a 5-mile radius from our current position. He said he was attacked by Gargoyles. The bastards do bother our copter pilots from time to time but never have I seen so much damage done to a pilot who encountered just one. So this has to be a work of a pack." Banquo explained.

"The little gray shit-flyers had to--" Meteith muttered in anger.

"That's enough Menteith. I was the one who sent Kelv up there. None of us knew he would come back like this."

Menteith banged his fists on the table but said nothing more. Banquo resumed his speech.

"Kelv is one of our best gyro copter pilots. But even so he could only cover a 3-mile radius given the time involved. He came in from the western side of the mountain. He came from the direction of Tirisfal Glades."

A scattered murmur resonated after the mention of Tirisfal Glades. Arisman quickly rose from his seat.

"This is a sign! Can you not see it now, Socrates! The Undead are advancing to our position! The Central Town is no longer safe! Closing off the pass is suicidal at this moment! We must leave! Take to the shores! There is bound to be one shipyard or another. We need only to take our leave now and we will soon be on a ship headed toward Azeroth!" Arisman nearly frothed at the mouth shouting these words.

"Banquo…did you not say before that you have not seen Undead on your supply run?"

Socrates asked.

"That was the strange thing Socrates. I didn't see _any _of the Undead. Usually we dodge a traveling troupe of the rotting bastards here and there. But…nothing was on the path from here to the Goblin Merchant's Store."

"And you take the eastern path to reach the goblins. So it seems that the Undead have concentrated themselves in Tirisfal Glades." Socrates concluded.

"There might be another reason. The Undead in Tirisfal have been stewing there. Something must have provoked them into moving. If packs of Gargoyles have started to advance, then there is no doubt that an undead army are advancing with it. Arisman, when I proposed to close off the passes, I do not mean permanently. The Undead at Tirisfal seem to be advancing towards the east. To what end, I do not know. But should they find us here, they will not hesitate in destroying us."

The council suddenly fell silent. Banquo nodded and finally agreed to my plan. He charted out the map with a quill pen a few marks.

"If we are to proceed with Orias' plan then I propose to set charges at these points. These points mark the passes where it is most narrow. We set the charges, we blow the passes, and that'll keep any of the Undead from advancing on the village on foot. By air, there is no real problem there. This mountain is a natural fortress. Reminds me of some of the mountain fortresses back in Khaz Modan. Should any of the Undead choose to use their Gargoyles or if they even think of using Frost Wyrms to get at us, it would be a lost cause for them. The head winds at this high a peak is impossible by natural wing. That's why our gyro copters are designed to tackle the winds on patrol."

"This plan seems more feasible to implement now, Orias. With the new development of the advancement of the Undead at Tirifal, I will support you on this decision." Socrates said in a firm voice.

"As do I, Orias. In protection of the Central Town, there is no clearer choice." A town elder supported.

One after another, the council had voted in my favor. Arisman however, had remained silent but voiced no complaint against me.

"We will need to bring the villagers from the rest of the outlying farms. Bring them in with whatever grain stores they have collected. The advancement will not be long. As soon as they pass, we will reopen the paths and resume the Dwarve's supply runs."

The plan set and the council adjourned. Arisman was less than satisfied with the decision and stormed from the town hall yet again.

Banquo had his dwarves rally their munitions and the explosives. I had sent Danaris along with few of the guard to the outlying farms to collect the villagers and the grains. I needed to ride out to inform a certain stubborn warrior.

"Orias! We'll have the explosives set before the sunset. We won't have them ignited till you give the word. You understand that don't you?" Banquo asked as I mounted a steed.

"I understand and I'll be back before then. Keep your guard up out there, Banquo."

"Aye! But I should be saying that to you. Your going to collect her, aren't you?"

"Do you expect me to leave her out there?"

"No…but--well no use now. Ride well, Orias. You better be back here, boy. It's a full moon out tonight, you know what that means?"

"We drink till we pass out and then some."

"You bet'cher ass. Hell, it may be even more fun if you bring her along too."

"That's what I'm counting on. Hyaah!"

The horse made a quick gallop out of the stable and out into the open. The gates were opened as I passed through them. It did not take me long to reach forestland. It would not take me much longer to reach her training grounds. But what would take time however…is to convince her to even come back.

Sara…long has she kept separate from us. Ever since we first settled down, she left to be in her own solace. Only to come by time to time for supplies. Never speaking to anyone aside from me and Socrates. Even then a few words were rather precious from her. I do not know why she has kept so bitter and closes herself off from us. It was never my place to ask. Nevertheless, she will come with me. If I have to drag her back by her hair, I would do so. Although I would prefer not to have it lead that way.

I pulled on the reigns and the horse made an abrupt halt. I examined the area. It was her training grounds. The markings upon the trees are given territory markers. One of the very few ways we manage to keep track of her are through these markers. She has been training hard these last few days. The battered training grounds were proof of that. Yet it seems these grounds have been abandoned for a few days. The camp was not much further from the markings.

A pitched tent and few boxes of opened supplies are what comprised of the entire camp. Campfire ashes…they seem to have been recent, even if the camp seems unused. I examined the ashes further until a glimmer emerged from the blackened dust. I attempted to reveal what was hidden under the ashes until…

"Living or Undead? Doesn't matter, you're intruding on my space." A voice came from behind me.

The bladed edge of a spear and a sword accompanied it while both rested inches from my neck.

"I see you still don't like to take in company. Funny, that sword doesn't look familiar."

"Orias?"

Both the sword and spear removed themselves away from my neck. I was able to breathe easier then. I raised myself and turned to see Sara along with an unknown companion.

"Who is this?" I asked her.

"You never see a knight before in your previous line of work, Orias? This is Sir Anteus Windrath. The young leader of what remains of the Lordaeron Army."

"What _remains_ of the Lordaeron Army? What is the meaning of this? I thought Lord Garithos was--"

"He has been dead for some time now, Lord Orias. A few months to be more exact."

"This is…impossible. The Lordaeron Army was the last true standing force in resisting the Undead! A reflection of the army that once stood during the Second War! How could they be defeated?"

"If you refer to the Alliance armies, then that was nothing more than a glory of the past. Not to be repeated again. Back then it was just the Orcs, now it has become much more difficult. It was true that the Elves had finally consented in an alliance with us and the Dwarves were drafted to our army at a price but it was nothing like the previous Alliance. Lord Garithos' bigotry had furthered to contribute in our failure to hold our standing army. He had the blood elves interned for colluding with these fish like creatures that called themselves the Naga. They rebelled and left us to some light-forsaken land. It didn't get much better afterwards."

"But last I have heard that the Lordaeron made a push for the Capital City."

"Yes…with the Forsaken."

"The Forsaken?"

"Do you not know?" He asked me with a surprised look.

Sara turned to me with an almost ethereal look.

"The Undead are having a civil war, Orias. It seems that whatever had kept absolute control over the Undead had started to slip and it has become complete anarchy. The Forsaken led by an undead elven general and a dreadlord." Sara explained.

"We had allied ourselves with them when we attacked the Capital City which was held by another dread lord. But once we had done that, the Forsaken had turned on us. Lord Garithos was nothing but a half-eaten corpse when we found him. It was then the Dwarven mercenaries chose to desert us. I do not blame them. After all, Garithos had them sent to the front lines for them to take the brunt of the slaughter when we invaded the dreadlord's necropolis. I had rallied what was left of our men and went into hiding."

"That's when I found them as I was riding out." Sara concluded.

"Why did you ride out?" I asked her firmly.

She shirked her look from me and turned her head.

"That is unimportant but we do need your decision on this."

"Decision on what?"

"We have no where to go now, Lord Orias. All the ports we have tried have been destroyed by one or the other Undead faction. We ask that you take us in. We will try not to be a burden. Our men carry their own supplies. We have enough since we raided any abandoned storehouses that were not contaminated." Anteus replied.

"How many of you are left, Sir Anteus?"

"About 200 of us. Actually about 278 including the bands of militia we found and took with us."

"The Central Town is already crowded as is…"

"I see…"

"But is not our place to turn away any refugees. You are welcome to stay with us. We will gladly accept any help we can get. When can you move your men?"

"At this very moment! Thank you, Orias! You have my gratitude and I pledge my services and my men's to the safety of your town."

Anteus rushed to his horse which was busily grazing on a patch of grass. He mounted it and trotted towards us before he was about to leave.

"It will not take me long. We will march up the path and reach the town before the sunset." Anteus announced.

"I will go with him, Orias. He will need a guide through the path if he ever hopes to reach the town."

I nodded at Sara and she left to retrieve her horse. I turned back to Anteus.

"Tell me, Sir Anteus. Have you heard any news from Stormwind? Are they sending help?"

"Stormwind…"

Anteus could not face me and instead just looked towards the forest.

"There…there is no help."

"What?"

"They are not sending help to Lordaeron, Lord Orias. They closed off their borders. They are willing to receive refugees that manage to reach them by sea but the route to Khaz Modan is closed off. They are merely trying to quarantine the problem. They do not seek to solve it. There is no one coming for us, Orias. The Alliance is dead. The once glorious armies of Lordaeron have fallen. We are all that is left, Orias. But we have been left for dead by our own people. Heh…honor, loyalty, did they not teach you these things too, Orias? Maybe…that is also left for dead as well."


	7. Outlying Struggle

**Chapter 7: The Outlying Struggle**

The ride back to the temporary outpost was not pleasant. How could they not come for us? Are we not their people? How could they choose to abandon us like _this_? These thoughts plagued me with each gallop toward the outpost. I could not believe the words that he had said. I chose not to believe in such _contempt_ that our own people exhibited toward us. The pass was already littered with our soldiers, when I had made my arrival. The Dwarves were setting the charges as the rest had given prominent watch over the pass.

I left my steed to lumber around the surroundings as I made my way to meet Menteith who was busily hammering away with his fist at some strange box-like contraption. The contraption uttered strange sounds that seemed to be unintelligible speech.

"Agh! Ya, damn piece of crap! What's it gonna take to get you to work!" Menteith cursed and continued to hammer the contraption with his fist.

"Menteith, what is it that you have with you?"

"Aye! Orias, you're back already? Agh…this lousy thing I got from Agnar, the boy know his metals but I can't say so much for his inventions. He should have just stuck to melting metals but he hung around Gnomes too much back in Khaz Modan. Got him to take up inventing. The bastard has yet made anything that worked! Hah!"

I put on an amused expression and restrained any sign of broodings that I might have had. Salvation…it would have to wait. For now we must manage to survive.

"How does this invention function? Does it use magics or--"

"Ack! Like I could ever understand Agnar's babbling. This thing is suppose to keep us in tabs with the other points that we have set up. Our teams got charges set up and all I need to do is give the word through this thing to get the message across. Agnar's been thinking of calling it a _radio. _ A stupid thing to call it if you ask me."

"Orias!" A voice came from behind me. It was Danaris trying to awkwardly make his way up in his heavy armor.

"You're back! I heard you went to fetch Sara. Where is she?"

"She went down the mountain to bring up the survivors."

"Survivors!" Menteith shouted as he finally gave up on the temperamental mechanical device. Danaris also gave me a look of wonder and confusion.

"Could they be…from the other caravans that left the Capital City? I mean…is it really them, Orias?" Danaris asked intently.

"I can't say that they are Danaris but they are marching to the pass and we have to hold off on our plan to seal the pass until they reach here."

"Ack! You asking me to wait after my boys set up all that blasted gunpowder? Well they better get here quick. I'm in the mood for some fireworks! HA! HA!"

Menteith took his leave to inform the other dwarves. Danaris let out a deep sigh and faced toward me again.

"You can't say that they're from the other caravans?"

"No, because they are not made up of refugees from the Capital City, Danaris. They're troops from Lord Garithos' army or rather what remain of the former standing forces."

"Beaten down troops from--are you saying that what's left of the Lordaeron army is marching here?"

"Yes, I need the other posts informed of their coming arrival but refrain from telling them that they are from the Lordaeron army, Danaris. I will have to take this issue up with the town elders."

"I'll…do what you ask." Danaris left to perform his task.

I watched Danaris leave with an air of confusion around him. He must now feel the same uncertainty of our future as I am. With only beaten remnants of a defeated army and town of refugees it will be harder to hold out against the Undead.

The sun moved slowly but intently toward the west and the outpost guards waited attentively. Their sights and mine on the path that leads out of the mountain. There was still no sign of them yet. Menteith took a few seconds away from the now beaten mechanical device to pace impatiently.

"They takin' their sweet damn time aren't they! You said before the sunset, Orias? I'm already bored out of my ass! If you can just--huh?"

A rumbling came from the other end of the path. A small cloud of dust quickly became bigger as bands of horsemen and foot soldiers marched quickly up to the outpost. I could see Anteus break away from the pack and rode with fury toward us. He reached the outpost's gate as it was opened to him and rushed passed.

"We are under attack!" Anteus yelled.

A rush of fear ran down the whole outpost. The guards have already started to show anxiety at the ominous news.

"What happened?" I asked Anteus as he was drawing his bow that was attached to the pack of his horse.

"Undead! They came practically out of nowhere when we started for the mountain! We had to flee before we attempted an all out battle."

"Ugh! So you lead the rotting bastards right to our doorstep didya'!" Menteith shouted.

"I am sorry…"

"Agh! Never mind that now, laddie! Okay boys, fun time just got started! Load'em up and let loose hell for the decayed and wretched!"

Menteith gathered a band of dwarves rifleman and set them at the top of the outpost walls. Our archers did the same to make preparations for those who chose to tag along with the Lordaeron army.

"Anteus, what about Sara? Has she--"

"I tried to reason with her, Orias. We divided our forces in two groups. The first that is coming up now is the one I rode with but Sara chose to lead the second which is being followed by the Undead. They were already starting to pick off our soldiers on foot before I left."

"Damn it…"

Stubborn! If only she would listen for once! She chooses to ride out to meet with death and never seems to think of the repercussions her actions may cause.

"We will need to wait for the second group to pass through. What defenses can you provide until their arrival?"

"We have our dwarves rifleman but they are few in number. Some skilled archers and the wooden walls that you see before you. This is only an outpost, Anteus. The gates to the Central Town are still far from here. So we will need to keep the Undead here when we close the pass. We will abandon this outpost once the second group passes."

"Can you ensure that your Central Town will be safe even after the pass has been sealed?"

"We have already made plans to blow other passes entering here but nothing can guarantee our safety. Not since all of this started."

The first group passed and continued their way up to the Central Town. They looked tired and worn from what seems like miles of travel and hardship. The stomping of hooves and clanking of armor slowly faded as they left. The guards resumed their watch. A second after another passed and anxiety grew with each moments passing. The dwarves had their fingers on the trigger of their rifles and the archers to their arrows and bows.

A cry echoed the canyon and soon another cloud of dust formed at the end of the path. The cloud soon gave way to figures that appeared in the distance. The riders desperately making their way to the outpost and the foot soldiers tiredly trying to keep up. Then sounds of battle rose.

The Undead…they finally show themselves and leading them a massive beast pieced together from rotting flesh. An abomination and droves of ghouls were attacking those who chose to belay them. The first troupe of riders had reached the gate.

"Well what are you waiting for! Pick your targets boys! Take out every ghastly beast you see! Cover them! Cover them!" Menteith yelled.

Sounds of crackling rifle blasts and arrows cutting through the air soon echoed the canyon. Horsemen, footmen, and pack horses raced pass the gates as they continued up the path.

The welded carcass abomination had started to thrash around at the footman that stood to fight. Bloodied hooks sprayed the walls of canyon and mutilated footman being left to the ravenous ghouls feeding and slaughtering the weakened rear guard.

The abomination roared a guttural growl. Arrow after arrow, gunshot after gunshot, could not take the beast down.

"We need more time! That abomination will consume the rest of them if we do not intercede!" Anteus cried as he let loose another arrow that quickly lodged into the eye socket of a ghoul.

"Way ahead of you, laddie! Been savin' these for special occasions!" Menteith scrambled through his pouch and took out an odd looking bullet.

He loaded it into his gun and took aim at the beast. The abomination continued to thrash about as it continued its onslaught. Menteith kept his focus and kept his finger on the trigger of his rifle.

"What does he hope to achieve with that bull--"

"From Khaz Modan with love, you ugly son of a bitch!" Menteith yelled and pulled the trigger.

A split second was all it took for the bullet to travel into the beast's skull. The abomination remained still for a moment as if it were stunned. It let out a slow lowing sound in midst of battle.

Its skull quickly blew open and the abomination soon started to topple. The small explosion that erupted from its skull blew tiny entrails to the ground and soon the whole of the monstrosity came down as well.

"HA! Dead center! I dare you to come at me again! Decaying crap like that can't measure up! HA HA HA!" Menteith gloated in glory.

"I think you should take another look at the battlefield, Dwarf." Anteus cautioned.

Menteith turned back to the battlefield. I saw his expression of glory quickly fade. As the abomination had been killed, two more had come to take its place. Menteith quickly grabbed his rifle again and started to dump out his pouch.

"The bastards! I only had one! Ugh! Orias, I don't know how long we can hold them back. We have to blow the pass soon or…Orias?"

My attention had already wandered away from my bow and arrow to one point of the battlefield. Sara…she was holding the rearguard on horseback with what remaining warriors that stood their ground. While she struck down one after the other, a pack of ghouls jumped her horse. One had managed to dig its monstrous mouth into the jugular of the horse's neck and it quickly fell along with its rider.

I could not stand to watch this anymore…

"Orias! Where are you going, lad!" Menteith yelled after me as I was making my way to my horse.

Dust and a mass of chaos befell the lower grounds of the outpost. A few of the guards held back the ghouls trying to enter the outpost along with the fleeing soldiers. Swords, arrows, and guns…nothing could stop the wave of Undead crashing against the walls of the outpost. But I will not allow them to take her.

My horse was already startled at the sight of Undead ghouls and had already trampled one under its hooves. It seems that he shared my distaste of the Undead as well. I took its reigns and kept it calm until I managed to mount it. I had to hurry, if I wanted to make it in time.

The horse galloped quickly despite going against the flow of oncoming horsemen. Outside the walls of the outpost was a nightmare incarnate. Masses of the Undead army making their way up the path but with only the walls of the outpost to stop them.

I ignored their horrific appearance. My only resolve is to reach her in time. The sounds of battle was deafening as I continued to approach the rear guard. Footman clashing with skeletal warriors and ghouls with elongated claws. It did not take me long to spot her from the group. She was headfirst going against the masses of the Undead.

Her spear quickly met with the rotting flesh of ghouls that tried to surround her. Taking out five, then ten, and then fifteen more. The mithril spear did not discriminate in its targets. It merely cut through or gutted each one.

"Sara! Take my hand!" I yelled through the deafening noise.

It seemed that she did not hear me or refused to. Her bloodlust fueled her ongoing fervor for battle. It seemed that I had no other choice. I had spurred on my horse to get up right next to her. As quickly and as soon as I was in distance, I grabbed her waist and lifted her away from the Undead masses.

"Let me go!" Sara protested.

I placed her in front of me and spurred my horse to quickly retreat with the last of the fleeing group of warriors. The rearguard did the same as the line quickly crumbled.

The rumble of hooves and footsteps quickly marched through the closing gates of the outpost. We cut through before the gates were forced shut and the troops have all made it through. The gate was soon breaking; the Undead could not be contained much longer.

"Alright! Get your asses clear away from here! Blow the damn pass! Blow the damn pass!" Menteith yelled.

It was not long after his command that a deafening explosion echoed the canyon and the rumble of falling rocks and debris came crashing down behind us. I looked back at the fallen outpost. The rocks had caved in the entire pass. A mound of rubble had created a massive wall. None of the Undead had managed to pass through in one piece.

We have succeeded…but now…they know we are here. They know that we are breathing. They know that as long as we breathe, they must continue to hunt…


	8. Marching Uphill

**Chapter 8: Marching Uphill**

The huge band of warriors and war horses that had once started up the mountain in a furious gallop has now been reduced to a pathetic crawl. They are all battered and worn from the struggle; many of them could barely walk. Those who were unable to move had to rely on others to move for them. Many of the soldiers had helped the injured onto stretchers or carried them up onto their shoulders. The path was littered with footprints and blood stains. The supply horses groaned under the pressure of the heavy loads they carried. It was a sorry sight.

Sara no longer struggled and rested rather peaceably, leaning on my chest with her eyes closed. She is unbelievable…at one moment she was trying to take down the whole advancing Undead army by herself and only now she takes a nap. Unbelievable…

"What were you doing back there?" I said to her quietly, unsure if she was still awake.

She did not reply at first, merely stirred slightly. I let out a sigh and prodded my horse forward with the reins.

"I was only trying to protect the rearguard…" Sara finally replied but kept her eyes closed.

"By yourself?"

"Are you suggesting that I should have left them there? To get eaten or worse?"

"You were ordered to guide them here; I didn't ask you to rush so recklessly to--"

"It was unavoidable."

"Unavoidable!"

"We were ambushed. We needed to defend ourselves. It was only natural that we had to confront them."

"Your actions were inexcusable."

"Am I asking for forgiveness? No, Orias, I am not trying to get myself killed but I am not afraid to die. I would have gladly given my life, yet it seems that you have such a low opinion of my abilities that you assumed that I _wouldn't_ have come back. Color me reckless and disobedient…is that how you see me, Orias?"

I didn't reply, just grimaced and gripped the reigns tighter than I should have. She becomes too damn difficult to deal with sometimes. She can't go a day without--

"I ask you not to worry about me, Orias…I can take care of myself. You have enough on your plate already. So you concentrate on your work instead of nagging me to death like an old woman, hmm? And I'll…try not to cause you any more trouble…for now."

No…I guess she can't go a day without. She has been like this ever since I met her in the Capital City. The very day we left along with our caravan. The way we met…was a strange occurrence. My train of thought was suddenly interrupted by a loud whinnying from one of the pack horses. The horse was driven mad as it flailed wildly. Some of the men were trying to calm the horse without being thrashed by the horse's hooves.

"Ack! Looks like more trouble. I got this one, Orias." Menteith said as he rushed toward the rampaging horse.

I watched Menteith join the circle of men trying to calm the mad beast. The horse threw off its load and started to thrash even more violently. Menteith drew out his gun and aimed it at the rampaging horse.

The second it tried to charge toward Menteith, was the very second Menteith released a bullet into its skull. The horse was brought down and started shake wildly as it fell to its side. It finally gave a sign of release and remained still. Menteith went to expect the beast. He took out his hunting knife and inspected a hole at the beast's side.

I had the horse come up right next to the corpse. Menteith slashed open the underbelly and an unpleasant sound came from the landing of the horse's entrails on the ground.

"Sigh…unlucky bastard got too close to one of the abominations. See here? It was already starting to rot from the inside and out. That's what drove it mad. Nothing to do now but to torch the damn thing."

Menteith rose up from his squat and saw Sara resting. He gave me a look and shouldered his rifle.

"She sleepin'? After all that, she sleepin'?" Menteith asked

"Resting would be the better word but yes, she's--" I started to reply but Menteith shook his head.

"Loose cannon, I tell ya Orias. I'm surprised she even came back! I remember the last time she came back. Clocked one of my boys, just looking at her wrong! Etel still has the black and blue in his eye. I tell ya, she's only trouble if you bring her--Gurk!"

The spear that was resting in Sara's hand suddenly jerked up at Menteith's neck. The very tip was just a push away from entering his throat and coming out the other side.

"You have a problem with me, dwarf?" Sara said calmly and with her eyes still closed.

The dwarf let out a nervous laugh and backed off a few steps from the deadly spear. He rubbed his neck and smoothed out his graying beard.

"No problem, young lady! No problem! What disputes would I have with a beautiful daughter of a noble and a one with a fighter's spirit at that!"

"Really? Your comments earlier seemed to contradict your current _kind words_, dwarf."

"Mean nothing by them. I…I think I hear a mug of booze calling out my name. If you'll excuse me, kind miss."

Menteith quickly left but not without making a gesture with his thumb of cutting at the neck. I smiled and looked down at Sara.

"Would it be so bad to remain friendly with the others?" I asked her.

"To that booze hog? I'd kill him first." Sara replied.

"That sounds more like a promise than a threat. I'm telling this to you now, Sara. I don't want you to--"

"There you go again, Orias. Nagging is not the most effective way to tell me things. It just comes off as noise to me. So I'll just ask you this once…be a good pillow and shut up for me, okay?"

Sara said nothing more afterwards. Unbelievable…just so damn unbelievable.

We arrived at the first gate before the Central City. The guards of the outer gate had stopped the first group outside. Sir Anteus rode up next to me.

"What is going on? Why aren't they letting them in?" Anteus demanded to know.

"I ask that you be patient, Sir Anteus. It is not every day that we get visitors. Riley!"

Riley, an archer from the outpost, had run up from the second group to the first.

"Is there something wrong?" Riley asked us.

"No problem, just have the guards open the gate for us. It seems that I should have had Danaris inform the gate guards as well."

Riley was quick to act and ran to the gates. It took only a few moments before the sounds of gears started to rattle. The gates slowly opened for the beleaguered army. We had started to move when the gates had fully opened. The inner gate had also started to slowly open as we approached it as well.

"Ack! The gears sound a little creaky. I told Banquo to check the damn things." Menteith grumbled.

"You've built the gates yourself, dwarf?" Anteus asked.

"Nay, Agnar's the one that built the frame but my brother's the architect. The gates are made from the craft of the dwarves, so don't be expecting it to break down soon. The metals that compose these gates are forged from an adaman alloy and can withstand 2000 mortar blasts at once."

"Made to last…"

"And then some! Got'em reinforced up and down the whole thing." Menteith announced proudly.

"It's strange…the elves had the forest and runed doors to protect them…you have this natural mountain fortress and these gates." Anteus said grimly.

Menteith did not reply but merely grunted and shouldered his gun. I felt at unease as well at Anteus' comment. Yet…he couldn't be more right. The elves had been conquered thoroughly. Not even with all their magic could they fend off against the swarms of the Undead. I can not say that we will do much better should the Undead make their way up to the Central Town. The stratagem I employed will hold them at bay until they find a means to break through. Then we will have a fight for our lives.

A crowd beheld the sight before them when we reached the Central Town. When I was younger I had viewed the proud marching armies of Lordaeron in shining armor and impressive display. When we arrived, the crowd of villagers did not see the mighty and proud warriors of Lordaeron. Only the weary soldiers who have now lost everything. They could no longer hold their heads up high. I could see that they did not meet the gazes of the villagers but merely set to work.

As the soldiers started to unpack, I had my horse trot toward the town hall. Arisman had already burst forward from the doors of the doors of the town hall and a look of surprise and exasperation spread across his face as he saw this new band of refugees. I could see that he was fast approaching me.

Sara, almost instinctively, had awoken from her slumber and quickly left my side. She disappeared among the crowd of soldiers. Arisman finally reached me as I dismounted.

"What--What is this! Orias! Explain!" Arisman yelled furiously.

Socrates appeared at the door of the town hall looking calmly upon the soldiers. I tried to see if I could catch his gaze and have him distract Arisman long enough for me to muster an excuse or explanation. He did not take notice.

"I shall explain at an emergency convergence of the town elders." I finally replied and left quickly before Arisman tried to stop me.

I had walked up the steps of the town hall and stood beside Socrates. He looked rather somber compared to Arisman fuming at the sight of the mass of refugees.

"Orias…are they…who I think they are?" Socrates asked me in a slow and quiet tone.

"If I said yes, would it matter? Does this change your views now, Socrates?"

Socrates closed his eyes and grimaced. He held to the sides of the doors to the town hall as if he was about to fall over.

"I had hoped…that they would have persevered. I had hoped that we were strong enough! That we as a whole could have overcome this! And yet…maybe this was just this old man's clinging to the old glories."

"Is it wrong to cling to them? Cling to hope that we will persevere? We may have been beaten down as of now. But we fight for our lives now, Socrates. Not for territory rights, not for riches, and not for personal ambition. We fight for our lives now."

His expression softened and he turned towards me.

"It shall be hard to explain to them."

"A burden I am more than willing to bear. I suggest you steel yourself for this one, Socrates. This time Arisman will not be the only thing you will be dealing with."

"Arisman is the least of my troubles, Orias. The other council members will be most troubled by this. I do not fear reprimand from them but I do fear extradition for my counsel."

"You could not have foreseen this. None of us could."

"That is where you are wrong, Orias. It was clear that we could not remain in shadow from the constant patrols of the Undead. I shall see to Erethel and the other elders, I trust that you will be present when the meeting converges."

Socrates left to gather the elders. They were quick to gather as they were the most curious about the new arrivals. However, as if by tradition, Arisman was the first to express his outrage.

"INSUBORDINATION! Betrayal to the council! This is sheer defiance, Orias!"

The other elders turned there heads to hide their expressions of immediate boredom of Arisman's words. It was the same as always, I could not blame them, for I feel the same resentment. It seemed to me that he was very near to frothing at the mouth with rage.

"On whose authority did you ride in with a pack of these refugees! None of the council was informed of this--this intrusion!"

"We were being attacked by the Undead, Arisman. With all due respect, I think that allowed us some leeway to march to the Central Town." I replied as calmly as I could.

"And _whose_ fault is it that they were led here in the first place! It is an incomprehensible to believe your actions. We are pressed for resources as it is! With our supply routes blocked, how do you intend to sustain our new populace? Did you bring conjurers with magic to manifest food for the rest of us! Pah! Instead of starving after a few months, we will soon be starving in a few days."

Arisman sat triumphantly in his seat after making his speech. I passed off Arisman's criticisms but it was not simple. I could see Arisman already smirking at Socrates.

"_Most feasible_, Socrates? You have probably brought the downfall upon us all."

Socrates did not rise from his seat in rage or retort on Arisman's comment as I had expected him too. Instead he had his eyes closed and had his forehead rested upon folded hands.

"Then do suggest, Arisman…" Socrates started slowly.

"That Orias had left the refugees for dead? Left them there to be fed to the Undead perhaps?"

Arisman shifted in his seat slightly.

"They would have--"

"Fought back? Make for the shores? Do you expect us to think their plight is any different from ours? It would have been inhuman to reject them! They are own people. As such, we shall protect them with the fullest extent of our ability. In turn, they have brought a mass of supplies they have brought with them. We now have more manpower to protect and sustain this fortress. And yet you still call them a burden?"

"Are you to say that a few more peasants would matter against--?"

"I have forgotten! There is an introduction I would like to make to the council." I quickly interceded.

The council turned there attention towards me as I let in our visitor.

"I present to the council, Sir Anteus Windrath, Lieutenant of the Lordaeron Army."

As Anteus entered, he gave a respective bow to the council. More of the council members had awoken from the strained debate to greet our visitor. I could see that they were surprised to see an officer of the Lordaeron Army to come at all. Arisman also started to straighten himself.

"Ahem…we…greet our prestigious guest. It is an honor and might I say…a surprise to see--"

Arisman tried to keep his composure, as he was once a nobleman of the Court of Lordaeron. However, he could not help but stumble upon his words. I took in light in that fact.

"The honor is mine and we thank you for taking us in. We apologize for the imposition."

Anteus replied.

"None at all but…if I may dare ask…why are you here?"

"We were unfortunately pushed in here. After miles of travel it was hard for us to find a safe shelter. We of the Lordaeron Army thank you for your hospitality."

I gritted my teeth as he mentioned his last few words. We have not yet touched on the subject on who our refugees were. I could already see Arisman starting to change in his demeanor.

"The Lordaeron Army…?" Arisman asked.

"Yes, it was quite a great fortune that we were able to--"

"The mass of refugees…they are all soldiers?"

"Yes, as I mentioned we were pressed here as we--"

"Are you a single regiment?" Arisman continued to interrupt as he continued his interrogation.

"We are…unfortunately…the remaining forces of the Lordaeron army, sir. I command what few survivors that have marched from the Capitol City after a failed attempt to reclaim it."

This statement shocked Arisman as well as the other elders. I could see the reason for Anteus to remain ignorant of the current situation but I had wished he had not said anything.

"Oh how the mighty have fallen…haven't they, Socrates?" Arisman turned to Socrates again.

"Rise up the banners of Lordaeron! For our saviors have arrived!" Arisman shouted mockingly.

I could hardly contain my rage. I could not see how Anteus could remain so calm against Arisman's taunts. I could see that he merely stood there and took it.

"How is any of this possible? How were you defeated, Sir Anteus?" Erethel asked.

The eyes of the council had turned to Anteus, who had remained still.

"We…took up the devil's deal. Our leader…no we all thought that retaking the Capitol would have been easier with them."

"Them?"

"The Forsaken, an Undead faction that have rebelled against the current Undead that is under the command of Arthas. It has become anarchy amongst them. A fight for the control of Lordaeron. We thought if we had joined them, we could have pushed them back and…it was a foolish attempt."

An outcry came from the council. Arisman had stormed from the Town Hall doors and left, along with some other elders. The council was now in disarray. I could see now that Anteus could not hold his head up to the council anymore. His reprimand was quick but he did not come from it unscathed. We walked out of the Town Hall, as it seemed that the meeting was unofficially adjourned.

He had stopped in front of the town square and observed his troops unloading. He sighed and looked to the ground. I suspected that it was more than just the dirt road that had he taken interest in.

"How long has it been?" Anteus asked me.

I was confused by his question but I was compelled to answer him.

"How long? What do you mean by how long?"

"How long have you stayed here in the mountains?"

"It has been…"

It was a hard question to answer as time had no consequence here. It has seemed so long but I could not perceive it to be more than a few months.

"It has been awhile. That's as much as I could say."

"Was it hard for you? For them? To stay here in this chasm within the mountains."

"We have managed and survived for the time being."

"I assume that you were charged to protect them? Even back in the Capitol City as you fled?"

I paused for a moment. I did not know why I had paused yet I did.

"Yes."

"Hmph….you've done an amazing job." He looked over at the villagers who were starting to prepare dinner and the children who were standing amazed at the war horses.

He continued to scan the rest of the village.

"You keep them quite happy."

"I keep them alive. I would not call this existence happy. Being hunted and hiding in fear."

"Yet they seem to continue on living."

"What else can they do? We do not all wait for death, it comes to us when it arrives and we ignore until it does."

"Is that a fact? I…had hoped to absolve my sins here. Take up a second chance here."

"A second chance?"

"A second chance to protect them, to protect our people. I would…I would like for that much."

"Anteus--"

"The failure of our commander shall pass to his subordinates. Were you going to say we only followed orders? Ha…I wished…I wished some orders we had not followed. I just wished…"

He shook his head and turned away. I did not follow but looked upon the battered soldiers again. A second chance…is that not what these soldiers were given? A second chance to live after a brush with death. The sins that their commander have committed and now his subordinates must pay the price. Their march uphill was not a march of glory as it once was before. The banners that once waved high, the gleaming armor upon the proud soldiers, and firm resolve have now faded into the dust. Now only broken soldiers have return to what they now call home. A second chance…if only for a second chance.


	9. Socrates Reminices

**Chapter 9: Socrates Reminisces **

The night had settled the commotion that had risen during the afternoon. The soldiers have made themselves temporary lodgings of tents and hovels for the night. Most did not dare intrude upon another's household. They could not ask them for so much as shelter. They withheld themselves either out of pride or out of shame. In any case, I made my rounds among them to see if they have settled in well. Many were surprisingly comfortable even if they did not have a roof over their head as they slept. They told me…that for once they were able to sleep a night without fear of being attacked by the Undead. I merely smiled and waved away this thought. It is a false sense of security but I was not one to take it away from them.

Calm rested upon the village and many were resting peaceably. Sounds of the night were all that could be heard now. The collage of mixed noises faded into the blackness of the night. I could see that most of the village was at rest…it is a pity that I am not. I could not bring myself to rest, only contemplation. I contemplated as I was patrolling the grounds of the village. I had passed by the guards of the inner gate and made sure they remained vigilant. Half could barely raise their eyes up off the ground. It has been a tiring day, yet I remain restless.

Before finishing my rounds, I had noticed there was still a light within the town hall. I creaked open the front doors to investigate. A single candle remained lit upon the council table although the other candles had already been put out. By the light of the candle, I could see Socrates still sitting upon his chair and resting his head upon his folded hands. It has seemed he did not leave the town hall after the uproar.

"You will not take to rest, Socrates?" I asked him and he raised his head upwards.

"Rest? I have not known _rest_ for quite some time, Orias. Not after this, not after all of this. It has become difficult to rest."

Socrates rose from his seat and walked toward one of the windows of the town hall. The moon was full outside, a glorious sight to behold on a night like this. But I could see that Socrates was not looking out for the beauties of night.

"Have you come from your rounds?" He said finally after a moment of silence had passed.

I merely nodded and he shifted back into his seat.

"I would think you would want to rest, Socrates. It was quite a heated debate between you and Arisman. Although, if you will forgive me, this would not have been the first time that happened."

Socrates chuckled and rested in his seat more comfortably.

"Yes, Arisman has become even bitterer with each passing day. It is not our right to blame him for his character. He has only known finery being an official of the court. To be knocked down to this existence however has embittered him deeply. He may be a waste of effort to argue with but to argue in order to satiate his self-conscious right that he still holds some control, even though this has become beyond everyone's control."

Socrates sighed deeply and looked upon his aged hands.

"It is a wonder, Orias. A wonder indeed…how quickly time passes."

I took a seat just across from Socrates. He had taken out a small book from his robes and opened it. It was tattered and aged but it seemed to be filled with writings that I assumed were written by Socrates.

"It seemed only yesterday, I found a young boy who was reading out of the great libraries of the Capital City. And now I see him before me, a man who has taken up the responsibility to protect our last few peoples."

I smirked and shook my head. It was always like Socrates to reminisce of the past especially of memories within the libraries he had worked in. He was appointed as steward of the royal libraries of the Capital city. There were vast texts and tomes of ages past and writings of current wisdom that dwelled within the musty shelves of the library. And I also remember that day well…

"You have read through 14 volumes of Elven lore, two tomes on the legacy of ancient artifacts, and a copy of the journals of Lothar. All in one afternoon…it was…unnatural I would have to say. Were you always such an avid reader at such a young age, Orias?"

"If I said yes, I would be lying to you. Heh…actually I had never come to tell you this, Socrates, but I was banished to the library for the day as punishment from a scholar who was teaching me a lesson."

"Ha…is that so? What were you punished for?"

"I got into a fight with a fellow classmate. It was--a stupid argument."

I could not bring myself to say what had truly happened but it would seem that I did not need to. I could already see Socrates analyzing me from afar.

"How odd, I never figured you to be so easily enflamed."

"I was a rash boy then and I let my fists get ahead of my reasoning." I explained but it seemed it was not enough.

"He obviously must have said something that angered you. Something that cut deep."

"It was nothing. It was nothing that is even worth mentioning."

"Was it about your father, Orias?"

I closed my eyes and turned away. I did not reply or make any gesture in response. It was only a matter of time before Socrates reopened this topic again. I did not want it to be reopened. I had evaded him from this topic thus far and yet somehow it manages to reappear. There was nothing more to talk about, yet he persists on continuing upon this…but _I do not_.

"Was it about your father?" Socrates repeated.

"I--It was only a stupid remark and I was easily provoked."

"Was it really?"

"What do you want me to say? Why are you indulging upon this topic again, Socrates? This was done a long time ago."

"Because I can not have you still reeling upon this old hatred. It has happened before and I can still see that in you now. Even now you still blame him."

I rose from my seat quickly and banged the table with my fist in anger.

"How can I not reel on it? Even now, how can I not! He abandoned me and my mother. He abandoned us and did not give a damn!"

I tried to restrain myself, keep my composure but this topic…it infuriates me. I had hated him for abandoning us. Even when I tried to look for him, he would not show his face to me. The coward…

"He…did not abandon you, Orias. He would never--"

"How could you possibly know what he would have done!"

"Because I knew your father, Orias."

These very words struck me as false, a blatant lie. I stared at Socrates in disbelief and shifted away from my seat a short distance.

"How--"

"Before I was made a steward of the libraries in the Capital City, I was a scribe during the second war. I was assigned to your father's regiment to record the events that were to conspire. Taking logs of enemy movements and words of the commanding officers. I had met your father in Azeroth, where they were pushing back Orc advancement. That is how I know him, Orias. He is a good man. An honest man."

I remained speechless and started to pace from the table to a nearby window until I set myself down again upon my seat.

"Do you still take your mother's family name, Orias? Andurai?"

"It is the only name I have known."

"Then you have not known--"

"My father's name? As I have told you before Socrates, I have had no recollection of my father other than the fact that he served in the Lordaeron Army. And until this very moment, am I informed that he was always such an 'honest and good man'."

"Yes…what is most tragic is that you remain ignorant to what your father had to sacrifice to have kept you alive."

Kept me alive? My father? What would he know about sacrifice! He had impregnated my mother and left us both to rot in the gutter! What can you say that can be considered a sacrifice!

"Do you know of the Keleth family, Orias? They have descended from nobles since the earliest days of the kingdom of Lordaeron. Because of this, they have gained such status and power; they would know only the best for their family. Their bloodline is loosely connected to the royal bloodline and they take pride in who they take into their family. But one such son born into their house fell in love with a common farm girl. Your father was Darian Keleth, the only direct heir to the Keleth family."

My attention had peaked and remembered clearly each word that Socrates had uttered. So…my father had descended from noble blood…does that suddenly pardon him from his actions? Does that justify--

"Orias?"

I had awakened from my fervor of thoughts. Socrates looked at me with tired eyes and I looked at him with angered ones. He sighed again and resumed his story.

"Your mother, Maria Andurai. I knew her as well. I could not have met a stronger woman in my life. She never had family, other than you, Orias. She was orphaned at such a young age and yet…she went on living. That is what your father had admired about her. He loved your mother. But it was a difficult for them to meet under the eyes of your father's family. Based on character, I could not find one flaw upon your mother. She was caring, educated, cultured but those qualities alone were not enough for the Keleth family. Your mother offered no advancement for them, no beneficial connections, she did not belong to rich or reputable family, and she was…not suitable enough for them. Understand that your father did not care for what his family thought. In fact, he chose to defy them and married your mother in secret. She was pregnant with you a few months afterwards. Darian came to me first to tell me the news. But it was during that time, a member of Darian's family found out what he had done. It was not long before Darian was revealed and reprimanded from his family. He pleaded with them to consent because what was done had been done. They would hear nothing of it. They…"

Socrates paused for a second and turned a page of his tattered book.

"What…what did they have him do?" I pursued.

"They threatened to kill your mother while she was still pregnant. It was within their power that they could perform this without leaving blood on their hands. Your mother had no other family. Should she have disappeared, know one would have noticed. They would have kept her friends and the people she lived with silent. Darian revolted at this idea but his family would see to it that their marriage was illegitimate and would keep it from ruining their reputation as a prominent family. Should Darian have tried anything, if he were to run away, they would find him and they would take her away from him. Darian was left with a choice. Would he see his wife and child murdered or would he remove himself from their lives forever?"

I fell silent and remained still. He…why would he…

"The choice was obvious. He wanted to see that you lived, even if he were to never see you or your mother again. It was hard for him to let go. He was a broken man afterwards."

"But when I went to look for him--"

"When you applied for the Lordaeron Army and then denied? Another machination concocted by courtesy of the Keleth family. They would have seen this through to the end. Ties to military leaders who advanced their careers through the Keleth family were more than obligated to comply with their wishes. And it was shortly after…"

"That he died…"

Socrates was taken aback at my response. It was obviously shocking to him that I knew.

"How did--"

"A funeral was conducted under Uther. I remember it distinctly because he had mentioned it was a funeral in memory of his old friend who fought alongside him during the Second War. Darian that was the name he mentioned. It had not occurred to me that…until now. He said he fell ill to disease."

"Is that what he said? No…a cover that is what it was. Darian was in perfect health physically but I could not say he was well. A man can die from a broken heart. It was his only wish to see his son before he died. He had thought that if you were able to apply that he could at least get a glimpse at his own son. That never happened. Darian past from this world without seeing how you have grown to the man you are now. He would have been proud to say the least, Orias. He would have been proud."

He closed his tattered book and let it rest upon the table. I did not know what else to say. This was the first time that I heard what had happened to my father. My mother would not mention him. And I have grown to hate him over time…because he was not there.

"Why…why do you only tell me this now? Why not before?" I asked Socrates intently.

"Because if I had told you then, would you have believed me? Your hate was resolute then but now with so many other burdens upon your mind, you have shut it away. I tell you this now because I wanted to lighten the burden you must carry. To bring what little peace to your mind in this desperate time."

Socrates rose from his seat and pushed the tattered book toward me and started to leave.

I then rose from my own seat.

"Wait, why are you leaving your book here with me?"

Socrates stopped and turned slightly. I waited a few moments for his reply and picked up the aged book.

"I leave it with you, Orias, because it is not mine. It was intended to be given to you."

I stood confused and looked at the book again. There was no title or signature upon the book. The only outstanding feature about the cover was a small insignia in the form of a phoenix imprinted at the corner.

"It is your father's journal, Orias. He entrusted it to me, to give to you. He had told me to give it to you when you had come to a point in your life where you might understand sacrifice and only then. You know what true sacrifice is now, Orias. I hope after all these years of condemning your father; you might start to forgive him now."

Socrates turned away from me again and left the town hall. I was left alone with the book in my hand and new revelation.


	10. Collapse

**Chapter 10: Collapse**

I saw the sun rise over the mountains. Such a beautiful sight it was. The first gleams of light pierced through the fading darkness and soon illuminated the sky. Such a glorious sight…

I had drifted from the town hall to the peak and stayed there the entire night. I could not rest, for my mind was filled with thoughts that would not let me rest. I do not tire because lack of sleep but tire from these thoughts. These thoughts that continually repeat within my mind.

I did not open the journal that Socrates had left me. I could not bring myself to open it. The journal rested in my hand and I could only observe the embedded seal upon the cover. But between these covers were the words written by my father. Between these covers…could be the answers I have searched for…and yet I could not open it.

I set the journal aside and took in a deep breath. The sun had yet to warm the cold air. The sky had brightened to a lighter shade of blue. The morning would soon bring the slumbering village into full routine. If I were to stay on the peak, that would be negligence to my duties. Negligence was something I couldn't afford. Not in these troubled times.

I raised myself off the ground and stood to take in the full view before I left. I suddenly heard rustling sounds behind me and I turned to see what was causing the noise. It was Banquo lumbering with his gigantic axe strapped on his back.

"Orias! I thought I'd find you here, boy. You're wanted in town. That human commander that brought in wants to see you. He said he's been looking around the whole town just trying to find you."

I nodded in reply. Banquo lugged himself upon a smoothed out rock and rested his axe on his side.

"Did you hear what I said, Orias?"

"I heard it perfectly clear."

There was an uneasy silence for a while until Banquo grunted and looked out toward the horizon.

"Well…I don't see why that human commander wasted his time trying to find you by himself. All he needed was to ask any one of us and we could have told him. You're up here practically every morning. For reasons beyond my understanding however. I don't see what's so special up here that you can't do down there, Orias."

I chuckled and took a few steps towards the edge of the peak's cliff. Banquo gave me confused looks. He probably thought I was going to jump off but I merely took in another deep breath.

"Well for one…I always feel that the air is fresher here."

"Heh…air is air to me. Be it up here or sniffing it down there, it's all the same."

"I guess that is the difference between you and me. If you can't share my views on the air then how about the view itself?"

Banquo took a minute to look out and observe the vast greenery of the forests and the never ending sky. He had straightened out his beard and smiled.

"Yes, I must say it's quite the view--What the…what was that?" Banquo started and looked more intently.

I heard an explosion ring out. I was trying to find its source but a second explosion eruption interrupted my focus.

"Damn it! The sons of bitches!" Banquo yelled as he quickly grabbed his axe and ran down the path.

As he tried awkwardly to run down the slanted path, I quickly caught up with him.

"What is it? What was that explosion?" I asked.

"Sappers! They gave them sappers to work for them! Those greedy sons of bitches, every last one of them!" Banquo yelled in fury.

It did not take long for me to understand what had just happened. The Undead must have employed some goblin sappers to blow the rock walls. It would not take them long before they reach the first gate.

"I did not expect the bastards to push through so early! Sappers! It would take enough of them to blow through the rock wall but they'll be crossing through the passes. Sure enough, they'll be passing through."

Banquo and I quickened our paces until the town was soon in sight. Banquo banged on one door to the next, awakening its inhabitants. I was contemplating on how quickly we can bring up a first line of defense.

"Banquo! Are the cannon systems still working?"

Banquo stopped at a workshop that the dwarves worked in and banged at the door.

"It should be working! I'll have Agnar activate it at the first gate. That is if I can find him."

Banquo banged on the door again. Menteith and Anteus arrived at the workshop a few moments afterward.

"What's going on! Things are exploding all over the place and neither I nor my boys are causing it! You mind explainin' things, Orias?" Menteith ranted.

Banquo continued to knock furiously on the door but gave up after a few more tries. I heard him curse under his breath and took his axe in hand.

"Damn it! Agnar's not in the workshop and we got no way to activate the cannon system until we find him." Banquo confirmed.

Menteith nodded and he gave a sign of inspiration.

"I'll track down him down by myself, brother. But it might be time we put _those _to good use right about now." Menteith said with a gleam in his eye.

Banquo groaned and looked away, trying to avoid my gaze. There was obviously something I was not informed of.

"What does he mean by 'those'?" I asked Banquo, who gave me a sheepish look.

"Remember when I mentioned…that I got everything on the list you gave me? Well…we, actually it was just Menteith here, bought some other…_assets_."

"I don't care what they are right now. If they can help us fend off the Undead, I'll forgive it."

Banquo cleared his throat and gave a nod to Menteith. Menteith laughed joyfully and started for the storage sites.

"I'll need the rifleman and the archers at the ready by the first gates battlements. Bring all that you can find--"

"And rally my soldiers to aid you." Anteus concluded.

Banquo nodded and set off in the other direction. Anteus followed me to the storage sites, where Menteith was already busily shuffling through wooden crates.

"So…this is your storage site?" Anteus asked as he observed the humongous cave with a large cache of supplies within it.

"Yes, a few of the excavation projects supplied by the dwarves. They hit a gold vein a while back and supplied a steady income to us to buy supplies from the goblin merchants. They also discovered an underground fresh water spring, which is not too far from here. The caves provide a shelter for the supplies we store and acts as a fall back shelter…"

I trailed off at my last sentence. Bringing mention of a last resort at a critical time was not appropriate. Much less to bring pessimistic viewings of the caves as they have provided us much fortunate benefits.

"AH! Found it! This should get the bastards running!" Menteith exclaimed.

He pried open a wooden crate and shifted away the hay covering the merchandise. What the merchandise was…less than surprising.

"Goblin rockets…" I said resolutely.

Menteith nodded and took one of the rockets out to observe the quality.

"Ah…one look and I couldn't keep away. Not to mention it was a hell of a bargain. How could I pass it up? Ha ha ha! Blow them all to bits I say."

"What do you plan on doing with the rockets?"

Menteith laid down the rocket that he was holding and looked back at me.

"Set'em up on the gyrocopters and bomb them with an air strike." Menteith replied affirmatively.

"The passes are narrow and flying at a very low altitude. Are you sure your pilots can handle it?"

"Let me tell you, Orias…none of them fly sober. And yet they keep coming back before the happy hour ends. I say they'll make it. Aside from that we've got nothing to lose at this point. How many are they now? What are our odds, lad? For every one of us there are a hundred more of them. For every one ours dead adds one more in their favor. They've trampled on everything living on Lordaeron. I say, what have we got to lose?"

He brings a surmountable point. I nodded in consent and he tapped his rifle twice with his hand as if in acceptance.

"I'll have Agnar set'em up to the gyrocopters, once we find him that is. You'll have the cannon system before then and I'll have some of the boys bring up some mortars. Shell them down until we have the copters set up. I have no doubt you'll keep them at bay till then."

Menteith soon left the cave and I left afterwards. The wave of the Undead will be relentless and will not cede until they have reached the Central Town. We have failed at our first attempt to ward them away. We must stop them here. They will not set foot in the town. I _will not _let them pass further.

The archers and rifle were already rallied at the top of the battlements of the first gate. A list of dwarves and men lined the rows. A regimen of knights waited on the grounds of the gate. All were adorned in their worn armor and carried their weathered weapons.

I soon joined the archers and the riflemen at the top. Banquo was among the fray of rifleman. I had yet to see so much as a ghoul or raised skeleton warrior beyond the path. Nevertheless, this brought little comfort and I proceeded to use discretion.

"Have the rifleman line at the front and the archers behind. Call out their marks at my signal. How goes the query on the cannon system?" I asked Banquo.

"Not to worry. They'll be up--right now." Banquo pointed to the end pillars of that stand side by the gate.

Two hemispheres emerged from the top of the pillars and from the hemispheres opened a metallic doorway unveiling the cannons. Slowly creaking into position, the cannons faced the direction of the path.

"So we have our artillery support…"

"And we got more men to back you this time, Orias. You have our faith in progress. In times such as these, that's all we can really count on. That and something sharp and heavy at your side."

I smirked and Banquo laughed. In times such as these…moments like these will soon pass and chaos will soon replace them.

A sudden mass of almost skittering like sounds came from the path. The archers and riflemen drew tighter to their weapons of choice. They soon came into plain sight. A horrendous sight it was to stare into the face of death. But when you behold such a sight, you should never blink or turn your gaze.

A mass of beastly ghouls sped quickly away from the ranks and was first to approach the mark.

"Sixty five degrees and 240 breadths. Fire at unison toward the center and expand fire." I told Banquo as he relayed the orders to the men operating the cannons.

It was not a moment sooner did the cannons erupt a mass of force and flame towards the oncoming Undead. The explosions shook the earth and blew clouds of dust around the area. Yet they still cam by the masses, such is the strength and horror of the Undead.

"Have the archers stand ready and fire a volley on my signal."

"Archers ready!" Banquo shouted at the top of his lungs.

The archers drew back their creaking bows and aimed skyward. I let my hand fall and the archers soon let loose a hail of arrows upon the clusters of Undead. The arrows had ripped through the ghouls' rotting flesh and many ran aground but more stepped ever closer to the gate.

"Second volley and have the rifleman line the battlement."

"Archers stand ready! Riflemen ready your guns! Remember to shoot to kill and conserve ammo! Archers on second volley!" Banquo relayed.

A line of dwarves cocked their guns and took aim at the nearest target they could find. The archers let loose a second hail of arrows, arrows greeting even more of the oncoming ghouls. After repeated arrow and cannon barrage the ghoul offensive had ceased suddenly and the few remaining ghouls that were about to approach firing range of the cannons soon retreated.

"They making a run for it already!" Banquo exclaimed.

I shook my head in disagreement and observed the battlefield once more. There were among the upturned dirt and rubble, scattered or blown body parts of the ghouls. Too many were already killed, they had also observed this. A sudden loud growling came from the path.

"What the hell was that?" Banquo said as he scanned the battlefield.

"There sending in abominations since the ghouls were not getting close enough." I answered him.

"Son of a--then we'll blow the bastards up before they even make their way here! Lumbering bastards can't…what!"

The abominations had made their presence known. There was more now than there were at the outpost, _much more_. I took a count of eighteen that were waddling in a line toward the gate.

"Damn it! Fire the cannons! Don't let them get anywhere near the gate!" Banquo shouted to the cannon operators who were dumbfounded at the sight but soon resumed their work after being ordered to.

A concentrated effort of cannon fire had blew chunks off the first abominations in the line but served to do nothing for the others as the first few were taking the brunt of the blows. I could see Banquo already breathing heavily in frustration and pounded the battlement wall.

"Once they get too close for the cannons to fire, arrows and guns will mean nothing." Banquo said grimly.

"Then we'll have to rely on other means of defense." I walked to the other side of the battlement that was facing towards the Central Town and Banquo followed.

"Hey! Chief! You ain't gotta a little bit of ale on ya would'ya? Something to calm the nerves perhaps?" A mortar team dwarf shouted from the ground.

"HA! You get us out of this mess; I'll get you a round of ale on me!" Banquo retorted.

The mortar team dwarf laughed and set to work. There were four mortars set behind the gate. Four mortars are all we can manage but it will prove sufficient.

"Have them create a wall of artillery barrages once they get close."

"Aye, but ain't that cutting it close, Orias? You're practically firing at the gate at that range."

"We have no choice in the matter. Once they reach the gate, they'll have the rest of their army push through. With our rifleman and archers preoccupied with the abominations, they will only have the cannon fire to contend and that alone will not stop them."

"If it bears down to that I'll hack away at them myself if I have to. But we'll do it your way."

The abominations had pulled through the cannons minimum range and were only moments away from reaching the gate. Eight have managed to pull through the cannon barrage, while the other ten were nothing more than bloody rotten masses that stained the canyon walls.

"Start the artillery barrage, Banquo."

Banquo gave the signal to the mortar teams below and they soon started firing. The mortar shells flew high above us and upon landing, met with an abomination. The abominations that were hit groaned in pain and fell to the ground. The artillery barrage had taken out three more of the abominations but the five that had remained unscathed from both the cannons and the mortars charged steadily forward.

"Fire everything you can! We'll have to bring them down with arrows and guns now."

Banquo grimaced but carried out the order. The rifleman let loose shells upon the abominations that were almost in point blank range. I had grabbed my own bow and joined the other archers in attempt to bring down the abominations. The rifleman had only managed to blow off small chunks of flesh off the abominations and the archers' arrows merely stuck out like pins on them. However one of the riflemen managed to blind one of the abominations sending it on a confused rage. The blinded abomination was now thrashing away at a rock wall instead of advancing. This fortunate event was short lived as the other four had reached the gate and started to bang against it at full force. It shook the battlements and some of the archers almost lost their footing.

"Riley! Bring some support beams and supplies from the town! Fortify the gate and bring up some ammo and arrows to us! NOW!" Banquo shouted at the beleaguered archer below.

Riley had taken some riders with him back to the town to collect what Banquo inquired.

The abominations had continued to pound against the gate. The cannons had resumed fire as did the mortar teams. As I predicted, the Undead had sent the rest of their forces en masse. This time, they not only bring their ghouls but their raised skeletal warriors as well. One of the things that disgusted me most about the Undead was their sacrilege they continue to commit upon our fallen warriors, converting them to their twisted purposes.

The cannon fire suppressed them for a time but they were soon at the gate as well.

The support beams and supplies had reached us by a pack of tired horses. The men on the ground quickly went to work to set up the beams and the ammunition and arrows were brought up to us. It was at this time, we were starting to see our first losses. Skeletal archers had reached the gates and were retaliating upon our own archers. A few of our own caught an arrow in between their necks and fell dead.

"Shields! Raise shields! Protect yourselves from their arrows!" I ordered and the order could come at no time sooner.

A few of the archers laid down their bows and took bucklers and kite shields that they carried on their backs and raised them up, protecting the other archers and rifleman. However the rifleman had to withdraw from the front of the battlement. Overhead arrow fire was the only option to attack without taking losses. The skeletal archers arrows can only reach so high to hit at deadly force. While our archer's arrows remain effective to the extent of our range.

The rapping against the gate was deafening. The abominations did not cease their continued efforts against the gate and skeletal warriors alongside the ghouls were continually chipping away. The gate is strong but I do not know how much longer it can withstand such duress.

The support beams were already creaking under the pressure. The knights that stood behind the gate started to grow restless. Their horses were riled by the sounds of the battle and the continual creaking of the beams.

"It'll hold…it has to hold…bastards couldn't tear it down like this if they tried!" Banquo yelled at the top his lungs.

The battlement shook once more as the abominations rammed into the gate. Some of the archers again lost their footing and had to rebalance themselves before firing another volley.

"How long do you think it'll hold, Banquo?"

"With all that time, money, and effort we spent on erecting these gates? It isn't going to collapse anytime soon. But…I can't really say how much more it can take. They'll keep bashing away at it until it opens. Persistent sons of bitches, the whole lot of them."

Banquo looked out toward the battlefield again and grinded his axe against the stone floor. I looked out toward the Central Town and the second gate.

"Ugh…if we don't get help soon…this gate is lost."

"I wouldn't despair just yet."

"And why would you say--WAH!"

Banquo ducked for cover as a gyrocopter swiftly and narrowly passes by him. Several other gyrocopters followed suit and explosions soon erupted in front of the gate. Agnar and Menteith had pulled through on their promise.

The remaining abominations were chunks of meat by the time the smoke cleared. The ghouls and skeletal warriors that were chipping at the gate were no more. The remains of the invading Undead had retreated. We had won.

Cheers soon roared as the sight of victory was clear. The men raised their bows in triumph and the dwarves set off a few rounds in the air in joy. Banquo wiped sweat off his brow and took out a satchel of water. He was already tired and sat on the far side of the battlement wall. He offered satchel to me after he took a quick swig of it. I gladly accepted.

"Who knew? Who knew they would come through?" Banquo laughed awkwardly.

I looked down on him as he shook his head and continued to laugh. I couldn't see what was so funny but joined him.

"Is it over, Orias? Did we finally win?" Banquo asked me grimly expecting the worst possible answer.

I looked back upon the battlefield and onward toward the trail which was now desolate. Yet for some reason, it did not feel as desolate as it seemed. They were not far; I could almost sense their presence beyond the trail. They only stopped to gather themselves for the next attack. This is far from over.

"I would like to say this _was _over Banquo. How much I would like to say that this is all over…"


	11. Recollections, Part 1

**Chapter 11: Recollections, Part 1**

A count was taken before our archers and rifleman had left for the Central Town to rest. We had taken six losses, six losses too many. Grady, Razkel, Kiel, Howitz, Narche, and Corvitz were the ones that got taken down. They were the few that had been with us since the escape from the Capital City. It is amazing how you remember the names that have gone before you especially when you always feel that you should have went with them.

Their corpses were dragged down from the battlement and set down in a row on the ground. Banquo kneeled down to pay his respects.

"May you get somewhere better than here fella's. I really hope you end up somewhere better than here."

Banquo raised himself up and gave the signal to two soldiers waiting with torches. I could not stand to watch, so I took my leave. I did not get far before I heard quick trotting of horse's hooves approaching. It was Anteus riding on horseback, checking with his men.

"The battle is won I presume?" Anteus said blatantly.

"Hmph…what makes you so sure we had won?" I replied.

"We are still alive, that is more than clear indication."

"If that is your presumption I will give you it. This battle may be won but this is far from over."

I walked toward Riley who was waiting with my horse. As I mounted my horse, Banquo approached me wearily.

"I have some things to clean up here. Not to mention an hourly watch to appoint. We'll have some of the gate guards to--"

"My men will take the first days watch. If need be, the first week's watch. You can bring your men back to the town to rest and recover." Anteus announced abruptly.

"That's…mighty generous of you, Lieutenant. But nevertheless I still have to keep back here at the gate to make sure things are in order."

Banquo turned to leave and shifted the weight of his axe upon his shoulders as he walked away. I had begun to ride towards the Central Town. Anteus accompanied me on my ride.

"I thank you for you assistance, Lieutenant. We would have been all but decimated without the help of your men."

"There is no need for thanks. We were more than obligated to serve. As the Lordaeron Army and as grateful refugees who were taken into this sanctuary."

"I find it odd however, that you would leave your men behind even after fighting as much as our own soldiers. Wouldn't it be more prudent to--?"

"It is our penitence."

We had both stopped our horses when he mentioned these words. I stood confused.

"Penitence? To what do you have to atone for?"

"To a multitude of things but…to _one_ sin in particular."

"I do not understand. What is it that you are atoning for?"

"Hmm…before I answer you, I must ask you a question first. How long did you all suffer? How long was it until they came for you?"

His messages have become more cryptic. I could hardly understand what he was trying to ask of me. How long until who came?

"You said you were a paladin, Orias? And that you came from the Capital?"

I nodded my head in reply and his eyes seemed almost glazed now.

"You were also part of the paladin order? The ones…charged with protecting the escaping refugees?"

I nodded again in reply. Why is he asking me these questions? How does it all relate to what he calls "atonement"?

"You probably remember that vividly don't you? The day you and the refugees under your guard escaped from the Capital City. Because _I remember all to well._"

"What?"

"The city, the surrounding villages, and even the forests themselves burned. The screams were ringing from every side. I remember this because _I was there_. Myself and the vanguard of the Lordaeron army. We were moving east to strike at a citadel controlled by a dread lord. We came across the very edges of the capitol city when we were making our crossing."

The sky had started to roar and rumble as massive gray skies soon started to spread across the once azure sky.

"When we saw these atrocities, a band of our men pleaded to our commanding officer to help them. Some of the men had families there. Garithos…in all his _majesty_ denied them. He said that the paladin stronghold will hold out against the attacking Undead forces and that the 'paltry forces' of the Undead would not breach the capital. It was none of his concern. I was disgusted by his response. Some of our officers tried to make an appeal but our pompous leader threatened them for questioning his orders as insubordination. We all knew why Garithos did not attempt at striking. Our scouts informed us that Arthas, the traitor crown prince, was leading the Undead forces against the Capitol. We all knew how ruthless Arthas was…he had killed his own father and killed his mentor, Uther. He had brought countless human armies to its feet. He had burned the elves homeland and decimated the elves themselves. Garithos knew all too well Arthas' credentials. He was afraid."

Waves of emotions struck me throughout Anteus' story. But most of all…hatred. How could he have turned away from our own people in dire need? Where was he when I saw my brothers of the paladin order fall!

"It was no excuse for what he had done…for what _we_ had done. I would ask for your forgiveness as if I would ask the people of this refuge for forgiveness. But we are beyond such things. This is what we atone for Orias. _Our second chance_."

Anteus urged his horse into a gallop and quickly left for the Central Town. I could not follow and was left at the point where we had stopped.

Another crack of thunder from the heavens quickly unleashed its torrents. I could see a wall of rain approach and soon fell upon me. I pulled the reins on my horse to have it move forward in a slow trot. The rain had not so much bothered it as so much as the drop in temperature. The rain fell rapidly and fell with almost unrelenting force. It dripped off the sides of my armor and to the ground it splashed the quickly formed puddles. It reminds me so much of that time. It was raining then as well.

It was the one morning when the sun did not rise to shine upon the metropolis. Only a dark cloud that covered the whole sky and blotted out whatever light seeped through. When the rain had started to fall…_they_ came.

They attacked the fleeing caravans first as they had situated themselves at the very escape routes that we were using. Then they started for the villages when the caravans were not a going concern for them anymore.

We had retaliated countless times. Our warriors tried to deter as many of the monsters as they could from our helpless. But as we tried to repel one attack, another sprouted from another point, then another, and it had soon become complete chaos. Countless innocents had become victim under the Undead army. They spared no effort to see that each village was in ruins. They used our own warriors to fight us. Either by raising them into skeletal fiends or driving them into a craze by some banshee's cry.

They had quickly edged there way to the stronghold. Our paladin leaders combated the Undead with undoubting courage. How confident they were that they would get everyone out safely. How confidently they believed that the Light will prevail over the blight of the Undead. It was not until they had reach the stronghold did their confidence start to waver.

Buzan…one of our paladin leaders, told us to escape. They had told us to protect the refugee caravans from the Undead. He had told me to go with them. He had charged me to protect them. I did not want to abide by his wishes. I wanted to stay and fight. If I were to die, I would die among the paladins who would martyr themselves to the protection of our people.

Buzan however wanted me to live. He wanted me to live instead of dying a selfish glorified death. He wanted me to serve "the greater purpose". He entrusted the lives of the people to me.

It was the last I ever saw of Buzan and the other paladins. When we were not more than a few breadths away from stronghold that I had seen it burn. It was then that I knew that they were all dead.

I had nothing to go back to then. I lead the caravan to what seemed to be a clear path. We were attacked by all sides by a large band of ghouls. With what soldiers we had left, we would not have survived. It was then that I met Banquo and Menteith.

His band of dwarves had fought their way through the pack of Undead and had assisted us in fighting off the ghouls. We were undoubtedly grateful to them. They joined us in our march out of the city. We took no mind to our dead as…we had no time. The Undead were in close in pursuit and the dead we left behind would soon rise as one of them. We all left the only home we knew.

The first night was one of the most terrible. The rain had not ceased to fall. It seemed that the rain itself had turned under the blight as black, shallow water. The refugees were miserable under these horrific conditions. Our soldiers were on edge and many were close to the breaking point of insanity. The horrors we had saw was not meant for any mortal's eyes. We saw how quickly lives were taken away and how proficient the Undead are in mutilating and contorting corpses. We should have never seen such things.

I had brought the caravan into a sheltered cave. The cave was not vast or deep but provided shelter for the rain at least for one night. The dwarves were again gracious enough to pass around whatever food supplies they were able to provide. They were little comfort but the refugees did not go to sleep hungry that night.

The moon had not shone itself nor did the stars. The forest was almost pitch black and I was unable to see much further than the fire of our camp. Yet I could not help but feel something was calling me out. A tinge of guilt or the heckling of my conscience drove me to do what I did that night.

I had asked Banquo to watch over them. He asked me what I intended to do in a hostile wilderness. I replied to him saying that I would find my brothers and if any were alive, bring them back. Banquo cried me out as a crazy fool. At that time, maybe I was. I rode out on my horse into the forest.

The forest was dark but my horse remembered the path well. I soon came upon the ruined capitol. It was eerily quiet and it did not appear the Undead were in sight. I continued to the stronghold and what I saw there will haunt my dreams for as long as I breathe.

I did not believe men such as Buzan or Uther could die such horrible deaths. It was not until I reached the stronghold did I believe otherwise. Everything was brought to ruins. There were no corpses, only body parts left. I retched at the sight. It sickened me to the core. Nothing was left of my paladin brothers. There was only their blood spattered upon the walls of the conclave and the barracks. The warriors under their command were fed to the ravenous ghouls. Then I saw Buzan.

He was the only one with most of his body intact but seeing his body further, I saw that it was no better off. What was left of his hand still clenched his war hammer. His face was pale and left no peaceful look. His body had multiple stab wounds. This is what atrocities they had done! I fell to the ground and wept furiously. The capitol city was where I was raised, where my mother had died, where I was taught and trained, and this…was all that was left of it.

I started to ride back to the camp. I knew there was no sense in staying in a light forsaken place, not anymore. The rain had started to downpour again. I rode with great fury and my horse's hooves galloped madly.

My horse had suddenly made a quick stop and started to pace around furiously. It was as if driven mad. I was bucked from my mount and landed on the muddy ground and left me to wallow. I cursed my luck but it was then I heard fighting sounds from the west of me. I was curious in what was fighting out in these woods, so I investigated the matter. That is when I saw her.

Sara…what strange circumstances we had met. She was fighting off five ghouls by herself. The ghouls could barely approach her without getting sliced by the spear she carried. It had also seemed that it was out of fear as her attacks were intended to kill.

Her movements were graceful; the very style of spear fighting was as if I was watching art form. The first of the ghouls was hacked away by the first blow of the spear end. The second and third were impaled almost simultaneously. The fourth and fifth had met the same fate as the first.

When she had finished, she was breathing heavily. The raining had not ceased yet but the moon had emerged from some of the few dissipating clouds. Her eyes had a crazed look but face was beautiful. Her clothes were spattered in blood and her arms had claws marks upon them. Yet she stood with such grace and beauty.

It was only a few moments after she had finished with the ghouls that she took notice of me. By the way she looked at me; I thought I was the next target. She slowly approached me with spear in hand. I merely stood my ground.

She was not more than a step away from me and she approached she locked her eyes to mine. I stood still and awkwardly continued to stare at her as she was staring at me. A sudden clatter of her spear sounded and she quickly fell to her knees. I caught her before she collapsed. She was still conscious but she was crying. I was not sure of what it was exactly but it did not matter then. I held her close as she continued to cry.

Her tears flowed as much as the rain did. She…must have gone through hard times as we all had that day. How vividly I remember that day…


	12. Pages of the Past

**Author's Note: "**Recollections" will come in a 3-part series with two chapters between them. This is the first of the intervening chapters.

**Chapter 12: Pages of the Past**

"Hey! Bring those barrels in quick! If that gunpowder gets wet, it's your ass on the back burner! Come on! We ain't got the whole damn bloody day!" Menteith barked.

The men were quickly at work by the time of my arrival. They were hauling in barrels and crates from the outside into the cave to shelter them from the rain. The work was hard as the loads were heavy. The conditions did not make matters any better.

I brought my horse to the warm and dry stables. I dismounted my horse into a wide stall and it soon gave a quick shake after my dismount. I felt that it would be better off in the stables then in the rain now.

I heard rapid footsteps approach the stable's entrance. It was Danaris, adorning a full cloak now rather than his clunky armor. He removed his hood as soon as he was in the stables.

"What happened out there, Orias? The town is all astir. They saw bands of our men and the new arrivals rush for the first gate. What happened? Were we attacked?"

"It seems obvious now that we were. I do not appreciate the fact that the town already knows about this but I hate to verify that rumor is true."

"What do we do now? They have found us. And they will attack again."

"As is expected. As it _was_ expected. You knew as well as I we could not have conceal ourselves from them forever. They were bound to find us and they were bound to attack us. That time has come."

I started to leave for the stable but Danaris called after me.

"But you didn't answer my question! What are we to do now?"

As I stood in rain and looked back at my friend, I could only reply with a shrug.

"We can do only as we can, Danaris. It is all that is expected of us. As much as I would like to change the reality…I can't. This is our reality and we can only prepare for what it is bound to bring us."

"Then why…how are we to--sigh…then I will go to the first gate. Take the first watch with the other guards."

"Do as you like my friend. Do as you like…"

I turned from him and walked away. It grieved me to be this melancholy. I could only make curt replies to my friend. Show nothing but an unfazed appearance. Remain stalwart…despite the struggles I suffer now. Anteus' words still hover in my mind and I can not rid of myself of them.

I walked but a short distance when a quick shout aroused my attention.

"Orias! Damn, missed all the fun at the gate. But my boys got to you alright?" Menteith said as he caught up to me.

"They came at a timely arrival. Had we not been able to hold out…?"

"Ack! No use dwelling on the 'what ifs' but better to dwell on the 'what nows'. I was lucky to find Agnar as I did and we were lucky we got the copters up in time. Missiles must have worked real well. Not too bad of a buy, eh? Speaking of which I got to say that I might have…that's not to say I haven't before…got into a little bit of impulse buying on the way out of the goblin merchant."

"Impulse buying?"

Menteith led me to Agnar's now open workshop. This is where he had a few pre-opened crates to show me.

"Agh…Banquo's been on me for buying things that go _boom_ too much. I say he's crazy. You can never have enough things that go boom! Ha! Well it's a good thing I didn't listen to him especially since we are in a tight spot now."

Menteith reached carefully into the crate and dusted away the packaging hay. He held a new goblin land mine in his hand.

"How many crates did you buy?" I asked him as I observed the landmine.

"Well enough to say the least. Good thing about these though are that they don't react until activated. So we were able to pack these up with the pack horses without blowing the rest of us to hell and back. You can activate them remotely too. Err…I know what you might be thinking, Orias. Shouldn't have gone spending like I'm pissing gold but I've got to say--"

"What else did you buy?"

"Huh? Oh…well I got these things here."

Menteith held out a strange glass sphere. There was a gold tinged metal dragon wrapped around the sphere.

"These were imports from Khaz Modan. Gnomish grenades have a pile of them here."

"Good. Have it distributed to the soldiers. Two to each man. And I want the land mines placed in between."

Menteith stood surprised but merely set down the Gnomish grenade and started preparing the crates. I looked over the shop and observed the various broken down gyrocopters. The workshop was also filled with tools and various mechanical parts.

My eyes left the walls of the shop and set them on a short and stout figure that was working meticulously on one of the gyrocopters. The strange dwarf with gyrocopter pilot goggles over his head was Agnar. I slowly approached him without interrupting his work but he suddenly took notice of me.

"Ah! Orias, it's you! If you're here then the gyrocopters got to you in time. Lucky. Very lucky indeed. I am sorry to have been away from the shop. Never imagined they would attack on a day like this. Never imagined in the slightest. But you will forgive this scatterbrained inventor, yes? It has become hard for me…forgetful so many times…I truly apologize."

"It is alright, Agnar. Despite your disappearance, we had managed with what we could. No one could have predicted that they would have attacked on a day such as this. We only knew that they eventually would."

"Yes, had to resort to drastic measures. Short time. Short time. The gyrocopters? They will be no good to us now. Not too much in battle anyway. I modified them to fly low but at the speeds they were going…they must have blown something or other. But you mentioned something about a mine field to Menteith, yes? I'll have that set up for you. Go to work on the cannons too. See if they need any maintenance…so many things…so forgetful am I. I will work right on it, so not to forget it."

Agnar quickly stood up and shuffled for his tool box amid the mess of tools and mechanical parts. I took my leave from the shop and walked toward the Town Hall.

I caught a glimpse of Sara passing quickly to Jessica's orphanage. I would have stopped to inform her about the attacks but word must have already reached her. I had other business to attend to as well.

The council this time was more somber and quiet. Not one of the council members uttered so much as a word of greeting. The situation has become grave and they knew it.

Arisman shifted slightly from his seat and looked blatantly at the other council members as if waiting for them to reply to something.

Socrates was the first to raise notice to the council as he stood from his seat.

"The time has come. The trial upon our fate has arrived. Death itself has come knocking upon the gates. And yet you men will say nothing of what has transpired? What solutions have you, wise men? What have you?"

The other council members were unsettled at Socrate's words but most did not contest him. But Arisman, out of tradition, rose to the call.

"Solutions and plans have all but left our minds, Socrates. We had our chance to escape but through your utter stubbornness, we are only left the choice to wallow within our hovels and pray that the Undead will grant us swift death."

"Is that your final solution, Arisman? To lie in wait and die?"

"What other choices do we have! How much longer will it take for them to breach the gates! They have breached more powerful gates than ours! We can sit and bicker about this all we like, Socrates, but achieve nothing! As you all sit comfortably here, they are organizing a second attack. These meetings mean nothing now! We have exhausted all our other options! We have nothing to hope for! This is nothing more than…"

Arisman stopped in mid-sentence and grit his teeth tightly. His frustrations were even more obvious now. Just by appearance, I could see that he has started to grow regretful. But to what he was regretful of I do not know for certain. It was most likely his overturned decision on leaving the mountain.

"Nothing more than what?" Socrates asked Arisman.

Arisman shifted his eyes and laughed away his frustrated appearance.

"Heh…it was nothing…all of it, all of this means nothing now."

Arisman left his seat to leave but Socrates cried out to him.

"Where are you going now?"

Arisman stopped just before opening the doors of the town hall to leave.

"I will take my leave now. I do not want to waste what remaining time I have with bickering fools. Not again! Never again!"

Arisman opened the door of the town hall and slammed it close behind him. Socrates sighed and looked upon the rest of the council. He saw as well as I, that Arisman's word had an affect on them. They had also grown unsure of our fate.

"We…as a council, were designated to make the decisions for the people that reside here. Our choices are difficult and our resolutions upon those decisions decide the fate of all of us. It is an arduous task but we must remain strong…for if we do not…we will…we will…"

Socrates stopped and started to cough violently. He had his arm over his mouth to try to conceal his pain but when he drew it away there was a large stain of blood on the sleeve of his robe. I rose from my seat as did few of the other council members but Socrates raised his hand and shook his head.

"We will surely perish…" Socrates finished.

The two council members closest to Socrates helped him to his seat. Socrates wiped away any trace of blood from his mouth and wiped away the sweat beads that formed.

"I apologize…I must adjourn the council for now. We will converge again…in a more favorable time. For now, I suggest that we all retire for the night."

The other council members were uneasy but slowly they left the town hall. Socrates remained in his seat and cleared his throat as if nothing had happened.

"You have grown ill." I muttered in a low tone.

"Yes, that seems to be the case." Socrates answered plainly.

"Have you seen the doctor?"

"What good can the doctor perform for this feeble old man? I have lived too long. It just has never occurred to me that I was this old until recently." Socrates smiled and chuckled as he said this.

I was still at unease, yet Socrates remains in a tranquil state despite his afflictions. He had gathered several papers from the meeting table and organized them in his hands. He would no longer look at me directly. He was fully determined to keep his pain hidden and out of mind.

"How long have you…" I started to ask but Socrates quickly stopped me at a glance.

"As I have told you, Orias. I am an old man and old men die of old age. It is a cruel but most definitive fact that men must die at some time or another. It is just my death that seems to be lagging about. You look at me as if I were to die right this second. No…there are worse things then death, Orias. You and I have already seen it."

I grew silent and humbled at Socrates' resolve. He knew death was approaching ever closer to him and yet he does not fear it. It is one of the qualities of Socrates. Being able to maintain an air of dignity despite the outer conflict.

"Even so…you should start to take it easier. Maybe it was better for Arisman to leave the council." I expressed.

"Were you worried that Arisman would cause me the usual additional stress? No, even I understand his actions. He has been around people of council, people of politics, and people with power of decision for too long. He is tired of it as he should. It is no grueling task for me to put up with him. But speaking of grueling tasks, have you managed to bring yourself to open your father's journal?"

He scanned my expression after he asked his question. I would have tried to elude the fact that I have not opened the journal but Socrates seems to have already known.

"Are you afraid? Afraid of what might be written? Of what your father had thought the day he had to leave you?"

"I would be lying if I say no to you but that is not what has been troubling me."

"So what troubles you?"

"I--I don't know where to begin."

Socrates just smiled at my reply. He then raised himself from his seat with slight difficulty.

"Yes, where can you begin? But it would bring me more ease if you would at least read a sentence, a word maybe? As a previous scribe, I know the importance of pages of the past. It can reveal much of our history, our thoughts, our weaknesses, our repeated mistakes, our obvious triumphs and defeats. If anything…they can at least reveal to you understanding. Maybe even a point of empathy. But only if you are willing to open your mind and if you are willing to at least open the book."

Socrates left for the stairs to the second floor of the town hall. He has a small living space, where he usually rests. He stopped short of the second step before he turned back to me again.

"But if you want my suggestion, Orias. I would start on the harvest season of the 24th year of your father's life. That might be…a favorable start."

Socrates resumed his trek upstairs and was soon out of sight. I was left in the meeting hall by myself. I slowly took the tattered journal from the folds of my clothing. I hesitated slightly but scanned the dates of the journal…

_Harvest season, 24th year _

_It is a good day. For this day I have learned Maria is with a child. Our child. It brings me great joy to have discovered this most gracious news. I have already informed Socrates and I plan to write a letter to a friend overseas of the news. It is hard to believe…I am going to be a father now. I would have started my own family. If only…if only they could accept her. If she were to bear our child, they would have to accept. My mother would want to see her grandchild. My father would want to see that the bloodline of our family be continued. I am sure in time…they will accept her and our new child._

I looked again at the year and try to recollect whatever knowledge I had of that day or any mentioning of it from my mother. I look at the date once more and realize that it was not more than a few months from my birth. I was born during the winter season. I scanned the entry dates again until I fell upon one that caught my attention.

_Winter season, 24th year._

_I…I do not understand. How could this have happened? Betrayed by my cousin, who had ratted me out to the rest of the family. When I learned that we were discovered, my father quickly recalled me to his estate. He was there with my mother. The moment I walked in I felt the animosity. The things they said…the things they said about the mother of my child! I tried to appeal to them, I pleaded to them. Maria was my wife and I love her, is that not enough? They tell me that she does not have propriety. Propriety? What do they define as propriety! She came from a simple life…and because she did not descend from noble blood or belong to a family of power, she is persecuted as improper? They told me…to abandon her. _

I turned furiously to another entry relating to this one. It was only a page afterwards did I find what seemed to be water marks on blurred ink.

_Winter season, 24th year._

_I asked them to allow me to say my last words to her. They had granted me this at least. She…looked so happy to greet me when I came. I could barely utter the words that I had to say to her. I felt that I was killing her with my own hands through my words. I asked her to forgive me. How benevolent a soul she is. She told me she understood. How could she? I could barely understand it myself. It was that very night that I saw her leave. She is only a few more months along…and I…will not be able to see her or our child._

My hand was now shaking but I turned a few more pages and scanned the journal for another entry.

_Winter season, 24th year._

_I…I learned from Socrates that I have a son. I have a son. I could barely believe it. Socrates told me Maria was faring well but…I do not feel that she is. I surely am not. It is cruel punishment that I am separated from my wife but is crueler punishment that I am separated from my son as well. I will not be even allowed to see him grow over the years. I will not even be allowed to catch a glimpse of my own son! I can never acknowledge him as my own. He must think of me nothing more than another person that passes upon the roadways. And he will grow to hate me…as he should. I could not protect them. I tried…but I could not protect them. Forgive me, Maria. Forgive me…my son. Forgive me. _


	13. Recollections, Part 2

**Chapter 13: Recollections, Part 2**

It was still raining. The mountain peak has become a bleak place now. The rain and mist makes it harder to see anything anymore now. The sky was nothing more than a dark gray wall that hovered over us.

The rain did not bother me anymore. It was just another grievance among other things. I felt that there was nothing more see upon the peak. I started down the now muddy path as the rain rippled upon the large puddles that have formed.

_I tried…but I could not protect them. _

Scattered thoughts…that is all they are…scattered thoughts.

_And he will grow to hate me…as he should. _

The sounds of the rain will drown them out. They will drown it out.

_Forgive me…my son. Forgive me. _

No more…no more! How long must they linger! I already feel the guilt that hangs over me, must I suffer more? I did not understand then…I could not. No matter how many times I cursed your name! No matter how many times I called out for you, when you were never there! I can not change…I can not change how I felt….

"Orias?" A soft voice ringed in my years.

I suddenly found myself in the kitchen area. Jessica was holding a large pot in her hands and was staring at me curiously.

"I didn't hear you come in." She said as she laid down the pot.

I tried to recompose myself and shook off the forlorn thoughts in my head.

"I'm sorry; I didn't mean to sneak up on you."

"Well I was little surprised. I guess my senses are a little thrown off because of the rain but it's nice to see you here. Could you pass me that wooden ladle?"

I passed her the utensil that was hanging on the wall. She opened the lid of the pot and started to stir the broth inside it.

"What were you doing out there?" She asked me warmly as she continued to stir.

"I was just at the peak. Contemplating some thoughts, that's all. Clear my head for a bit."

"Even in this weather? You'll catch a fever."

"I had a lot of thoughts on my mind. I thought the rain will help wash them away."

She smiled and stopped stirring the broth. I took a quick look at what she was cooking while she was attending some other pot broiling over an open fire. The broth seemed to emit a warm smell and was a pale brown color. I took the ladle from the pot and tasted some of it. It went down and tasted like a simple broth but--

"Ugh! It's bitter…what exactly are you cooking?" I asked.

Jessica laughed softly and started ladle more of the broth in a small flask.

"It might be bitter but it will keep you warm. I am cooking this for the guards who have to stay out at the gates. Here, you might need this too."

She put a stopper at the top of the flask and handed it to me. I couldn't refuse but I wasn't elated about receiving more of the awful stuff.

"Um…thank you. Jessica?"

"Yes?"

"Have you seen Sara? I haven't been able to reach her these past few days. Do you know where she has wandered off to?"

"She has been making frequent trips to the orphanage ever since she returned. She has been helping me out a lot with the children and I'm grateful toward her. Things have become a lot more hectic. It's a relief that she's there really. I'm only able to stay here in the kitchen because I know the rest of the children are safe with her."

"Alright…thank you. And don't push yourself too hard okay?"

"I could say the same thing to you, Orias."

I left the kitchen area and started for the orphanage. It was not very far just a few buildings away from the town hall. The orphanage was relatively small but considering the size of its inhabitants, it was more than enough.

I opened the door to the orphanage. It was strangely quiet. Most of the children are usually very active during the day but I presume the rain put a halt to most of their activities. I passed by a few rooms and saw some of the children were still resting in their beds. I searched each room but have yet to find Sara.

I was soon at the door of Roland and Gabriel's room. I could see that it was already partially opened. I reached for the door but suddenly stopped.

"So what happened then?" A voice that I presumed was Roland's coming from the room.

"Well the knight, Caleb, was determined to free the princess, Julia, from the dungeon. So he raced on his horse with all his might to reach the gates of the dungeon. Julia feared for Caleb's life and did not want to see him come to harm."

It was Sara's voice. She was obviously reading a story to both Roland and Gabriel. I did not open the door but instead stood and listened.

"But Caleb went anyway?" A higher pitched voice that I assumed was Gabriel's asked.

"Yes, because Caleb loved Julia and did not want to see her sad."

"Sara?"

"Hmm? What is it, Gabriel?"

"You were once a princess too right? Just like Julia from the story?"

There was a short pause before Sara could respond.

"I…who told you that, honey?"

"I asked Miss Jessica about the pretty locket that you wore around your neck. I asked her how you got it. She told me that you got the locket because you were a princess."

"She didn't say princess, Gabriel." Roland scoffed.

"She did so! Weren't you, Sara? You were a princess once…right?"

"I…" Sara started but stopped short.

There was a period of silence as Sara hesitated to answer. She soon recollected herself during the silence.

"Yes, you can say that I was. But…that was a long time ago. I'm not anymore."

I heard a book close and rustling sounds of Sara getting off the bed. Sara told the children that she had to leave. There was immediate protest and mention of finishing the story but she calmed them by promising them to return after she performed her duties.

I drew myself away from the door as it opened. Sara closed the door behind her. When she faced me there was a sudden look of shock but it was quickly masked by a look of indifference. She passed me without giving me another look and started down the hallway. I followed her down.

"I was surprised to find you here. I heard from Jessica that you were helping her with the children." I said breaking the silence between us.

She stopped but did not turn toward me. I stopped as well and looked at her body stiffen for some reason.

"Is there something you needed?" She digressed.

"Have you heard of the--"

"Attacks? Who hasn't?"

"Good. Then you know that you'll be holding duties with the Central Town guard."

She turned violently and glared at me.

"What! For what reason?"

"I need you to stay at the Central Town."

"Why would you…oh…I see what you're trying to do. You only want me to stay back because you want me safe? Is that what you're trying to do Orias!"

"I'm trying to keep you from doing any more reckless actions! I do not want a repeat of the incident at the outpost. I called you to fall back and you disobeyed me! You could have gotten killed. I'm doing this for--"

"Damn it…we're back to this again…who are you doing this for, Orias? I don't need to be defended! Not by you or anyone else! I can take care of myself! But…you want me in the town guard? Fine! You'd probably chain me down if you had to keep me away."

At this moment, it might not have been a bad idea. I discarded the thought and took in a deep breath before I spoke again. I tried to keep a calm, orderly manner towards her. I was truly being unfair to her because the intent _was_ to keep her safe by putting her in the town guard. But she's also a liability out there.

"I was not trying to demean you in any way. You are a capable warrior as any of the others but you make rash decisions. That is why I am keeping you back here. We are at a crucial point and I need you here.

I glanced back at Roland and Gabriel's room.

"If you won't do this for me, then do it for them. It would make them and I feel a lot better about all of this."

Sara had glared at me throughout my speech but her eyes soon settled at the mention of the two. There was no reply but some things were better off left unsaid. She quietly consented but she was obviously still fuming about the idea of being held back.

She turned to leave again but I called to stop her. I dug through my pockets and reached out my hand towards Sara.

"I did not realize what it was…until Gabriel mentioned it. I was too foolish to not have been able to see it myself."

I held out the melted piece of metal toward Sara. She was shocked to find what I held in my hand. It was obvious that she did not in her possession. She no longer wore it around her neck.

"Where did you find it?" Sara mumbled.

"It was in the ashes of the fire in your encampment. The day I went to fetch you. I wondered what it was but now I wonder why it was there in the campfire ashes."

"It's none of your concern." Sara snapped as she snatched back the metal locket from my hand.

"Since the day I met you, you always wore that locket around your neck. A mark of the Dukray family…why is it that you don't wear it now?" I asked her.

She did not reply. She hid her face from me and muttered something to herself that I could not hear. Before I could even ask again, she quickly left me. I was still left to ponder the question. I knew that Sara wore that locket as a mark of ties between her and her family. I remembered that it bore the crest of the Durkray family, a sigil of the rising sun. How curious that she does not wear it now…

I left the orphanage for the first gate. The rain had stifled most of the movements of the guard. Danaris has been kept at the first gate since the first rotation of the guard. He left before even taking his morning meal, which is a strange occurrence in itself. Danaris was known for being present at every meal before running off anywhere. It is not really the food that concerns him but the sheer routine that he faithfully observes.

When I reached the top of the battlement Danaris was the only guard standing out in the middle of the rain. The rest of the guards have taken to leisure inside the cannon towers, away from the rain and cold. Danaris was in full armor this time but had a cloak draped over his armor to as an attempt to shield him from the rain. I called out to him but he did not reply. It was only after the second time did he respond.

I walked over to him while he remained standing and staring at the path. I handed him the flask filled with the broth that Jessica had given me. He uncorked the flask and took a deep drink from the broth. It was only after he swallowed the stuff did he start coughing.

"Ugh…what is this? It tastes like a troll pissed in water." Coughed Danaris.

"Heh…it is supposed to keep you warm, presumably without killing you first. Does the trick despite the awful after taste." I replied.

Danaris gave me a look but bravely took another sip from the flask. He wiped his mouth and hand me back the flask.

"What brings you out here?" He asked.

"You weren't present at the morning meal. Thought something happened to you, maybe you keeled over. Not like you to miss it."

"Yeah…well I got guard duty so…"

"And that's the other thing. Why are you out in the rain like this? I doubt it's comfortable in that armor, where all the rains dripping in."

"Yeah, well I had worse. Remember back when you visited me back at the stronghold near Dalaran? They had me stand out there in the snow and wouldn't even give me a damn blanket."

"I remember because I was out there with you. It would have been more pleasant if we weren't graced with the presence of Chadwick the Third."

Danaris smiled and laughed heartily.

"Oh yes…Chadwick the Third. First class prick that ever graduated from the military academy."

"Chadwick the Brave, he would bravely be the first one to flee from battle and leave you to rot."

"Chadwick the Lionhearted, he would gladly use you as a shield and then pick your pocket while you lie unconscious."

"Chadwick the Gracious, who would go out his way for you for a couple of gold pieces."

"Chadwick the Devoted, if he's not at the bar, he's off chasing some girl who never wanted him in the first place."

"Yeah…that Chad…made the academy days full of fun. It was shame you never attended with me, Orias. By all rights you should have passed that military exam with flying colors. You were suppose to be the one to graduate on top, get an officer's position first, and rise in the ranks before the rest of us. But--"

"It's alright, Danaris. It might have been for the better. I liked the training I received as a paladin just fine."

"But still…if it weren't for you, I would have never been able to pass the military exam. I would have never been able to get in the Lordaeron Army. We looked out for each other when we were kids but I always felt you did the more for me, than I did for you."

"No way that was possible, Danaris. You were the only one who didn't want to pick a fight with me back in those days; everyone else just came down on me because who I was. You were one of the few friends I had as a kid."

"Yeah well…I'm just grateful that you helped me get in the Lordaeron Army."

"Despite the situation, we're in now?"

"If I had to go against an entire army of Undead by myself, I would show no regret. I'm always thankful that I got in."

"Danaris…why were you so keen on getting into the army? I've always wondered this myself."

Danaris stopped short of a breath and looked at the stone floor of the battlement.

"You know how my father was right, Orias?"

"He was a good man, always kept to himself though."

"I know…back in Lordaeron he used to keep a small merchant shop."

"I remember we use to go down there as kids to raid his candy shipments."

"Heh, heh…yeah…my dad didn't care about that. He actually intended on leaving open those crates of candy so we could have first pick. We always thought he was asleep on his chair in the store. He was a good guy…but my mother didn't think so. She always called him a bum and a slob because he wasn't exactly raking in big profits. He slept a lot at the store and he woke when customers came then went back to sleep after he was done. He was a simple man and didn't aspire to be anything great just…life as he could."

Danaris stopped and reached inside a small pouch that was tied at his side. He took out a small golden ring and held it in his hand.

"Is that…" I asked but stopped short when he nodded to comply.

"Yeah…you remember Keira, don't you? I…don't what I ever did to deserve a girl like her. She was an amazing cook and she always asked me to dine with her. I never missed a meal since then because it was always meant time with her. At the time I wanted to ask her to marry me but…I was just a hand at my father's merchant business. I needed something that would help the both of us later on. Something that would pay and take care of us. When the interned orcs started to act up, there was a demand for more soldiers. They posted the salaries as a soldier and it seemed like my best shot. I wasn't worried about any of the written exams. But I wasn't much with a sword. You helped me with that and I got in."

Danaris grasped the ring tighter in his hand.

"She was so proud of me when I first came in uniform. Heh, she said I looked very becoming in this armor. But you can't imagine how hard it is to get down on one knee with all this on. I bought a set of wedding rings with my first salary. We…were supposed to get married this spring."

Danaris wiped his eyes and sighed. He looked out at the path again.

"It was supposed to be held in Dalaran. She loved the gardens there. Can't blame her for that. Mages keep their gardens beautiful with their magic. But what they grew there was beyond the word beautiful. I thought we would be happy from the on. But then…_they_ came. When they swarmed the Capital City, we got separated amid the confusion. I was told that she was with one of the escaping caravans."

I grew numb when he said this. I realized why he asked about the caravans when we heading in with Anteus' soldiers. He wanted to know if she was still…but as far as I know…our caravan was the only one who managed to escape.

"I--I couldn't be with her. I had my orders but I couldn't be with her. I wanted to be. I wanted to be with her. And now I--I don't even know where she is or…"

"Danaris…I am sorry."

"I don't regret…I don't but…I wanted to be with her. Damn it! Why didn't they let me go with her? Damn it all…Damn it all…"

I had no words of reconciliation for my friend. What words could I say? No words can alleviate the pain of losing someone close to you. No…silence is the only respect you can give them.

The rain continued to fall down.

I did not care.

For me it is just another grievance.

Just another grievance…among other things.


	14. Midnight Raid

**Chapter 14: Midnight Raid**

It had soon passed into night but it has now become more difficult to tell the difference between night and day. The clouds have yet to disperse and the torrents have lightened only slightly. Any daylight that might have seeped through the clouds in the morning hours was now no longer existent.

I had come in from the rain into the tavern. I was greeted with a warm waft of air as I entered. This was a relief after being out in the rain for so long. The cold was unpleasant. The tavern was poorly lit as only a few candles and a small lantern illuminated the room. I saw that there were only three occupants present. Banquo was alone at a circular table and two soldiers from Anteus' regiment of men sat at another table.

Banquo made a sign to enter and I sat down just across from him. He had a book held in one hand and a mug of ale in another.

"Drink?" He asked me.

"No thanks."

"I insist." Banquo said as he slid over another full mug that was already resting on the table towards me.

I took a few sips of the warm ale and set it down. My stomach didn't feel like it can take any more abuse after the broth.

"Where is Menteith?"

"Making rounds with a few of the boys. He's been up and down the whole town since this afternoon. He'll be around shortly though."

Banquo turned another page of the book he was reading and took another sip from his mug.

"I had an inventory done today, Orias. From the food supplies to the gunpowder stores, I've checked them all. If we ration well we might be able to hold out for several months. What happens after those several months however…?"

Banquo shook his head slowly. I shifted slightly from my seat and edged a little closer to Banquo.

"Is there no other way to get supplies through?" I whispered.

"No, if there were I would have already set up another team to go fetch supplies but there aren't any alternatives at the moment. Our main supply lines are cut and I can't risk going out there knowing that those rotting bastards are waiting for us to open the gates. We can make an attempt with the gyrocopters to airlift some supplies but that's doubtful. Gargoyles must be swarming around the mountain by now. Even if we could airlift supplies it wouldn't be much from one trip. We'd have to frequent at least two trips a day."

"And we don't have many pilots or gyrocopters to make those trips."

"No, we don't. At most, we can try to hold out against them. Maybe they'll get bored after a while and leave but that's hoping for too much."

We grew silent for a moment. It seems that there is no way around the dilemma. After so many months pass, we'll be out of supplies. We would probably starve to death before the Undead ever reach us. Or if we run out of gunpowder and arrows first, then we will be soon at the mercy of the Undead. We are not left with any favorable outcomes…which frustrates me greatly.

"What are you reading?" I digressed.

"An old text that I keep around. The whole book revolves around the idea that the dwarves can return to their original stone forms. Return to a state when the Titans first created the dwarves. But there's a catch to the whole idea. It takes a tremendous amount of skill, determination, and will to change. Not many dwarves back in Khaz Modan can perform this."

"Have you ever seen it before?"

"Humph, once and only once. A few years back, some excavators got in too deep in one of the caves. Pissed off an old revenant with a temper and it woke up under unpleasant circumstances, explosives and all. It started to kill the excavators but that's when King Magni came in. The Bronzebeards have been known for there skill in battle but I had never known that he had managed to achieve and perfect his stone form. It was quite a battle. King Magni managed to subdue the revenant and had come out with only a few scratches. It was really amazing."

The tavern door suddenly burst open with Menteith barging in. He was drenched and was not in good temperament. He pulled back the hood of his cloak and mumbled every curse word he knew. He plopped himself in the seat next to Banquo and grabbed the mug I left on the table to drink it down in one gulp.

"All this damn rain! Can't get anything done without slipping on your ass with all the mud out there!" Menteith shouted in fury.

"Ugh! No use worrying about it, brother. Take the mug to the tap and get yourself another drink."

Menteith quickly obliged and nearly ran to the other end of the tavern. Banquo chuckled and shook his head slowly.

"I tell you, I don't even know why Hilda ever married him."

"Hilda?" I asked.

"My sister, Hilda, married Menteith back in Ironforge. You knew that Menteith is my brother-in-law, right? Hell, he might as well be my blood brother since I've known him almost all my life. He and I started our metal business together back in Ironforge too."

"I see but if you're business was in Ironforge…"

"Ah! You wanted to know what I was doing in Lordaeron at the time of the attack. I have…or rather _had _a regional branch of the business in the Capital City. I made a few monthly trips there to check on things. More so in the harvest seasons. But, heh…shitty time I picked to visit, huh? Not that it would have mattered. Menteith was already making a trip there and if he got stuck out in Lordaeron with all the Undead, my sister would have dragged me along to pick him up."

"Talking about Hilda?" Menteith shouted as he returned with two full mugs of ale.

"Yeah, we were and we were also talking about home…" Banquo trailed off.

"Ack! No worries! We'll be back home sipping on freshly brewed booze before you know it. Ain't that right, Orias? These undead bastards ain't gonna get to us. We'll blast our way out of here if we have to! HA HA HA!" Menteith shouted happily.

Banquo did not reply and I tried to make a futile smile. Then I had noticed that two of the men that were sitting at the other table had come over to ours.

"Mind sharing in ale and company?" One of the men asked.

"Sit on down! One drunk, two drunks, doesn't matter because in the end we'll all get hammered in the end! Ha ha ha! Here drink up, boys!" Menteith shouted eagerly and he motioned to the men to sit.

Menteith took out his personal flask from his cloak and filled up the new guests' mugs with ale.

"Much obliged! The name's Jerry by the way. The one with the dumb look on his face is Schell. I'm a second class officer and Schell here might say he's a lieutenant but that's just to attract the ladies, he's basically just slightly above any other gruntie with us."

"Watch who you're calling gruntie, Jerry! You weren't any better than me back in the Capital City. We both pulled outpost duty at the same time."

"Ahh…shut up…don't remind me of those old times."

"You were outpost guards back at the Capital city?" I asked

"Yup, don't like to be reminded about it though." Jerry said sullenly.

"Hey! Weren't you in the armed services yourself? One of them paladins?" Schell pointed at me.

"Yes, I was." I replied.

"Funny, I thought none of them paladins back in the Capital City survived."

I gritted my teeth but said nothing in reply. Jerry nudged at Schell with his shoulder.

"Hey! Show some respect there, Schell."

"Just saying…"

"Well say nothing! Ack! Not much the boys of the Lightbringer could do! HIC! None of us knew those attacks would have…hic…blinded sided all of us that's for sure. Hic!" Menteith said drunkenly.

"Heh…no one knew…you here that, Schell? Why don't you enlighten our friends here with a little story?"

"Which one?" Schell said scratching his head.

Jerry turned toward Menteith who was chugging down on his third mug.

"Hey dwarf! You remember any outpost guards when you were coming in the city? I remember you and your troupe frequent to the capital."

"Hic! Oh yeah…I thought I remembered your ugly mugs. But…no I can't say that I--hic--have. Not on my last trip anyway."

"Hey yeah! That's right! We didn't pull guard duty or anyone else for that matter. Didn't we get called in like a couple weeks or so before you know…?" Schell motioned to Jerry trying to remember.

Jerry eased back into his seat.

"The attacks? Geez, was that a damn mistake. I mean who would've called in all the guard just before the attacks, you know? Should have been put on high alert or something. At least put someone out there…if they had maybe we wouldn't have been in this mess."

"Who called you in?" I asked intently.

"Don't remember precisely. One of the geezers from the top told us to fall back to the city. I got put in guard duty at the council rooms after that. Wasn't that right, Schell?"

"Oh damn, I remember that. Some pompous prick took my flask that I snuck in. Said I shouldn't be drinking while on duty. Hell, I'd like to see him do guard duty for hours on end sober. Anyway I didn't like guard duty much as you can tell."

"Never liked guard duty. Always a real hassle. Boring as hell too. Hey Schell! Tell them the time you saw that guy."

"What guy?"

"You know the bandaged one."

"Oh, you mean him."

"Yeah wasn't he talking with the same guy who took that flask from you?"

"Hell, like I could forget."

"Tell them the damn story. Might be real interesting."

Schell took a minute to chug down his mug before he started his story.

"Well I've pulled guard duty around the city before. It was in some of the old important buildings where all the royals and politicians hobnob. You can't even imagine how many shifty deals go around there on a daily basis. Anyway, before it was all territory deals and money transfers but that all changed real fast when talks of the Cult of the Damned and a plague sweeping the country. A lot of the deals started to change to _escape plans_. These old guys were really rooted in Lordaeron and supposedly they have an obligation to stay and defend it. Not their highest priority. The king and military leaders said to rally and fight back. When the king was no more and the military leaders scattered, wasn't much to rally around. So they start talking about escape. No use standing around with all the demons and walking dead about, right? A lot of deals were passed about transferring assets and secret charter ships to Stormwind. The old, rich and powerful wanted to be the first to escape even though the refugees were suppose to go first. Heh…some times we live in, huh? Anyway, one deal really caught my interest though…"

Schell stopped to take a deep breath and laid his mug down on the table. Menteith, Banquo, and I were quickly engrossed in Schell's story. Someone calling in the outpost guard in the Capital City suddenly and shifty deals that happens behind closed doors?

I doubt it is coincidence.

"Some guy in a real long cloak and cape came around the council building during the after hours. Met with the same guy who took my flask, I knew it was him because of the regal robes and all. I couldn't see the guy's face, you know with the cloak draped over his head. They were talking silent but the guy in the regal robes was flailing around like crazy motioning assurance or something to the guy in the cloak. The guy in the cloak nods and gives him some kind of scroll. The minute the guy extends his arm out of his cloak, I almost retched. His hand was disfigured and bandaged. Looked liked it was burned then hammered a few times. The bandages looked old and worn. The guy in the regal robes opens the scroll and reads it. The cloaked guy gave him a thing called Rogue's Mage Dagger. I've seen that kind of weapon before. It's supposed to leave a scar that never heals. The guy in the regal robe takes it and slashes the palm of his hand. Then he lays his hand on the open scroll like he was signing it in blood. The cloaked guy seeing that he sealed the deal took his leave and I managed to catch a glimpse of his face…I'll never forget it. This guy's eyes were red and I don't mean just bloodshot. Pure red, practically glowing out of his skull. His face was all bandaged like his hand. It was freaky…"

Schell finished up and looked down toward the floor of the tavern.

"Not long after was the recall of the guard. Then the attacks came. The Undead knew where to hit and hit hard. They knew everything. Routes to the nearest villages, refugee camps, the city guard, the paladin stronghold, and the escape routes. They gained a foothold on us before they struck us down. I'll give you one guess what that regal bastard was assuring. Real _loyalty_ among kinsman, huh?" Jerry concluded.

"Why are you telling us this?" I asked.

"Heh, he's asking us why we're telling him, Schell. Can you believe him? You were all there weren't you? We were all in the middle of it, all the screams, the blood, and the chaos. And weren't you wondering why? Even for a second? Why this all happened to us? Well we _knew_ why. Because we were sold out."

"Sold out by some bastard who wanted to get out so bad he's willing to sacrifice, a few thousand people to save his own pitiful life. Times we live in, huh? Times we live in…"

A faint but audible sound echoed in the tavern. Menteith quickly jumped from his seat.

"Crap-hic-itsh the horn! Damn ith! We're under-hic-attack!" Menteith said slovenly.

"It must be from the first gate. We have to go Banquo." I said raising myself quickly from my seat.

"I'll go wifth…" Menteith said as he tried to balance himself.

"Damn it must suck for the guys at the first gate to be attacked at the dead of night." Schell remarked.

"Yeah…that's why I always hated guard duty…" Jerry replied.

Schell raised his mug in the air.

"To Lordaeron, what it once was…and what it never will be again…"

We were not the first ones to the first gate. I saw Anteus' horse straying from the gate back to the town. Something had gone wrong. The gate was under attack but it was hard to see what was attacking us. There were no torches out except the ones present with us. The battlement was in chaos. Cries of pain and gunshots echoed from the top. Banquo and I rushed for the second pillar of the gate. There was a stairway leading up to one of the cannon towers. Menteith went for the other stairway.

The stairway was only illuminated by the torch that Banquo held with him. There was no other light.

"How the hell did the rest of the lights get put out? Damn it, what's going on up there?" Banquo shouted as he huffed his way up the stairs.

Sudden shrieking sounds were audible above us. These sounds were obviously not human. We reached the top of the stairs and approached the door to enter the cannon tower. One of the guards came rushing out of the door and was screaming in pain. It was only for a moment but I saw a massive amount of vile insects eating away at his flesh. The guard flung himself over the railing of the stairway.

Banquo took his massive axe in both hands.

"Looks like we have ourselves some unpleasant company, just beyond this door." Banquo said as he drew close to the door.

I drew out my sword from the hilt and readied myself for what horrors lied beyond the door.

"Crypt fiends?" I asked.

Banquo nodded and stood closer to the door.

"Got to be at least three in the cannon room. Who knows how many outside the battlement. But it'll get ugly either way. You ready?"

"Got nothing to wait for."

Banquo banged his shoulder against the door as it flew open. A crypt fiend had dropped in front of us. Banquo quickly went for its head and wedged his axe into its skull. The crypt fiend fell dead before it even reacted. I threw in the torch to shed some light in the dark cannon room. It revealed two dead bodies and two crypt fiends clinging to the walls of the cannon tower room.

"More humans…" One of the crypt fiends spoke.

"Great! You can talk! Try saying 'Aghhhhh' for me!" Banquo shouted.

Banquo took one of his smaller throwing axes that he kept at his side and threw it at one of the crypt fiends. The crypt fiend lunged away but the axe managed to hit one of the legs and brought it down to our level. The other crypt fiend joined the other as it leapt to the floor. It spewed insects that swarmed from its mouth. I saw that there was a shield left over from one of the guards, I went for it. The insects rebounded off the shield and I was saved from suffering the same fate as one of my dead comrades. Banquo was backing one of the crypt fiends into a corner. The crypt fiend on my side was waiting patiently for an opening. I wouldn't give it the chance.

I charged forward with the shield. I could already hear the bugs spattering on the shield as I rammed into the crypt fiend. I knocked it back and jabbed my sword into the abdomen of the fiend. An unpleasant crunching sound came as I drew my sword deeper into the crypt fiend's body. When I drew out my sword quickly, the green glowing blood started to spew from the wound. It was screeching in pain and I quickly silenced it with a quick blow to the head.

The cannon room was now clear. Banquo separated the other crypt fiend's upper half from its lower half as its upper half came toppling down into a pool of blood.

I made for the door that leads out into the battlement. The scene was complete chaos. The crypt fiends were marching up to the gate by way of a channel of webbing that was put together. The guards that were out in the battlement were still alive trying to fight off the incoming crypt fiends.

A gunshot narrowly missed me and I heard a loud thud behind me. A crypt fiend lied and was shot down in five different places. Funny…I thought I only heard one shot.

"HEY! Orias! Next time watch your back, eh? HA HA HA!" Menteith yelled from the other side.

He was obviously enjoying this. Banquo had already rushed ahead of me and went into the chaotic mess himself. I slashed away at the webbing that acted as a channel of entrance for the crypt fiends. The webbing was much more durable than I first expected it to be. They must have started weaving this channel of webbing under the guise of night.

Danaris was also cutting the webbing from the other side. The quicker we worked, the less crypt fiends that would seep in. I could see Anteus shooting down climbing crypt fiends with fire arrows. He was bringing them down one by one but three more crypt fiends managed to climb up to the battlement. One of the crypt fiends tossed a guard off the battlement, while another started to spew more of the dangerous hives of insects. We were taking more losses than the first attack, this would not do.

"Menteith! Grenade!" I shouted.

Menteith nodded and took out one of the gnomish grenades from his pouch. He slammed the orb on the side of the battlement to activate it. The orb quickly started to effervesce with light. Menteith threw it down and it quickly blew away more of the webbing and a few more crypt fiends.

The battle was quickly turning toward our favor. The webbing was destroyed and the crypt fiends could no longer send up more of their kind. We only had to deal with the ones that were left at the battlement.

We were divided on two sides, the crypt fiends held the center of the battlement. Four of the crypt fiends surrounded a large crypt fiend; I suspected the one in the center was their leader. This gigantic crypt fiend was the same as the others in appearance despite its larger size. There were also larger spiked tendrils that protruded from each of its arms. It fixed its many eyes on us.

"Heh…how so utterly futile. It is amazing how you humans desperately cling onto your lives until the very end. Maybe if submit now we might grant you swift deaths." The large crypt fiend said maliciously.

"I don't think you're in any position to be making threats, web-spewer! If you take a good look around, we have you surrounded and you don't have any more of your buddies to back you." Banquo retorted.

"Heh…you do not understand now…do you, dwarf? Our loss here is insignificant. In the end, all of you will serve the Dark Lady. The Dark Lady has desolated far larger armies than yours. She will see to your destruction as she did to so many others."

This crypt fiend invoked its large tendrils to summon another swarm of locusts. Two of our guards were unluckily in the path of the swarm and had their flesh quickly eaten away. The other crypt fiends have proven difficult to combat. We were being pushed back to the cannon tower rooms.

"Give me a clear shot! I only need one! _Come on_! _Just one_!" Menteith shouted.

The battlement was crowded and the crypt fiends took large amounts of space. They held the most ground.

I heard rapid footsteps come in from behind me. I could see a wave of long hair flash before me.

"Sara!"

Sara had quickly slid under one of the crypt fiends and impaled it from the bottom. The other crypt fiend beside could not attack her while she lied at the under belly of the impaled crypt fiend.

Damn it! I told her to stay back!

I took this chance to rush for the other crypt fiend. The crypt fiend clawed away the shield I carried and opened its mouth to spew another swarm of insects toward me. It was quickly interrupted as it fell to the ground dead. An axe protruded from the back of its head.

Banquo made a charge from the other end of the battlement. Sara had already relieved herself from under the dead crypt and was already attacking the larger crypt fiend. Before I could even approach her, I was jumped by one of the other crypt fiends. I lodged my sword between the fangs of the crypt fiend. It was all that held the fiend from chewing my face. The edges of the crypt fiend's mouth started to drip green blood. I looked away at another direction.

Sara was trying desperately to strike at the larger crypt fiend but the crypt fiend used its sharp tendrils to block each attack. It soon charged Sara and swiped its long tendrils against her. I saw blood.

I did not know what came over me at that moment. I thought it was merely rage but…it was more than that. That crypt fiend hurt Sara. I didn't just want to kill it. I wanted to make it _suffer_.

Despite the large size of the crypt fiend that was on me, I kicked it with a tremendous amount of force. It was knocked up to the side and I managed to escape. I charged for the crypt fiend and swung furiously. The large crypt fiend backed away slightly but held its ground. It lowered its right arm with its sharp tendrils down at me. I lunged away and delivered a blow right beneath its head. I could see my sword protruding from the other side, dripping with the green blood of the crypt fiend. I could see that every eye of the crypt fiend felt the pain. I twisted my blade while it was still in the wound. The crypt fiend shrieked with pain. It looked down on me. Despite the pain, it spoke.

"Yes…in the end…you will serve the Dark Lady. You all will."

I removed my sword with great effort from the crypt fiend as it collapsed dead to the floor. The others approached as the remaining crypt fiends were already killed and the ones that were on the ground level escaped. I looked down at the pitiful carcass of the dead crypt fiend as it was already starting to rot away.

"Phew, that was some bout. Nice attack there, Orias. But kinda took your time didn't ya?" Menteith commented.

I took no mind to his words. I turned to where Sara had supposedly been knocked down. She was already walking towards the stairs. I called out after her but once again she did not stop or reply.

"Seventeen dead this time. Those numbers I can't work with. Not since the first all out attack took only six. I can't imagine how many more they would have taken if they pulled this stunt off." Banquo said grimacing at the sight.

"Hey Banquo! You better take a look at this!" Menteith called.

"What is it?" Banquo called back.

"It's Agnar…he's dead."

"Oh by the father's of Khaz Modan….damn it. He must have come in to check the cannons. Damn…poor Agnar, never had chance. Never had a--bastards! Every one of you!" Banquo shouted at the top of his voice.

He shouted out at the path where the crypt fiends came. He cursed loudly and profusely, venting his anger. I walked to the stairway and made my way to the ground level, I heard Banquo following me from behind cursing under his breath.

I looked around for Sara. After scanning the area, I saw her walking alone making her way up the trail. I called after her again but I get the same response. Banquo shook his head from side to side.

"Nope. No, use getting attention that way. Hey, Sara!" Banquo shouted raising his axe.

Sara stopped and looked back for a second. To my surprise, Banquo threw his gigantic axe in her direction. I was shocked beyond all reason. Why is Banquo trying to--?

The axe stopped short in front of Sara. It was as if levitating in the air. There was then a loud cry. The axe revealed what it was clinging to. It was a Shade.

The shade had twitched in pain for a while before it dissipated into the air. The axe fell to the ground. Banquo started to walk to get his axe from the ground.

"How did you know there was a shade there?" I asked.

Banquo just dug in his pocket and took out something. I realized it was a Goblin Night Scope. The dwarves used it during their supply runs to scout for shades or whatever might lie in the forest.

"Hell, hardly need the damn thing to track these bastards anymore. I can practically sense them. Those crypt fiends were doing more than just employing a covert attack on the first gate. They had a shade run through just in case they failed. At least have reconnaissance."

Sara watched as Banquo picked up his axe. He gave a nod toward her and started back toward the gate. He passed me with a quick smirk on his face.

"Don't go crazy, you two. We already had one fight for the night. Let's not make it two for one."

Banquo left and I stood standing with Sara. I saw that she held her wounded right arm with her left and carried her spear with her right. I looked at the wound then to her face. She did not grimace in pain or looked as if she was guilty, just the same indifferent look as before. I can't believe her…

"Why did you come?" I started.

"The horn sounded calling for aid. As a _capable_ warrior, I came to answer the call. Do you have any complaints you wish to voice?" Sara said mockingly.

"I told you to stay back at the Central Town. Why didn't you listen? No…why didn't you obey? It was direct order! I--"

"I _came_ because they needed help! You wanted me to stay and just watch the carnage happen?"

"I needed you in the town. I needed you there…"

"For what! For what reason, Orias!"

"I needed you there because I need you to be protected! I needed to keep you safe! Understand!"

Sara stopped for a moment and stared at me. I just turned away from her gaze. I spoke the truth for once, is that so wrong?

"I…don't need…to be protected…"

I looked back at Sara. There were tears in her eyes this time, no anger, rage, or resentment, just tears. She clutched tighter to her arm.

"I'm not worth protecting…why can't you understand? Not after what I--after what I--"

Sara collapsed to the ground.

No…what have I done?


	15. Recollections, Part 3

**Chapter 15: Recollections, Part 3**

The wound was larger than I expected. It ran from the right shoulder down to her arm. It was a clean cut down and ran deep enough to bleed excessively. In the condition I am in now, I can't try to heal her with what little light magic I knew. I had to take her back to the town.

I took her up on my back and carried her up the path. The inner gate was already open with soldiers passing in and out. There were carts drawn on horses heading down the path. They were going down to collect the injured.

I spied a ragged figure making his way down the path as well.

"Bailey!" I shouted in between gasping breaths.

He caught sight of me as he adjusted the strap of his medical satchel. He had obviously been abruptly awoken from bed and rushed down here. He was a mess trying to keep things together.

"Orias! What happened out there? The horn sounded and I woke to the shouts of the soldiers running through the town yelling for the others to come down to the first gate. I heard it was another attack."

"Yes…unfortunately it was."

Bailey shook his head slowly and then noticed that I was carrying Sara on my back. It did not take him long for him to notice the wound.

"Sara too? For all the good that's left in this world! How did she get hurt this time?"

"A crypt fiend tendril wounded her. She's bleeding badly. Can you do something about it?"

"I--Well that is to say…"

Bailey looked down toward the path and at the men rushing to the first gate. He looked at Sara's wound again.

"Here, take these clean bandages. You'll have to lay her somewhere warm and out of the rain. Keep the wound clean and you remember how to dress the cut? I am sorry, Orias. I would take care of this myself but there are others to--"

"I understand. Go, you're probably needed more at the first gate."

"I am sorry…but take whatever you want from my medical house. I have assistants already preparing the room for the wounded soldiers coming into the town. It should be open. There are salves and medicines that should help close the wound quickly. Good-bye, Orias. I will come back to the Central Town soon enough."

Bailey collected himself again and ran off. I resumed my trek towards the town. I was soon at the front door of the home next to the orphanage. Sara was sharing a room there with Jessica. I just hope she's there.

I bang the door loudly and wait for a response. The door slowly opened with Jessica peeping out the door. She soon threw the door wide open upon seeing Sara.

"Orias! What has happened? How did Sara--"

"Boil some water, Jessica. Please!"

Jessica ran toward the kitchen area and I rushed for the nearest room with a bed. I laid Sara on top and started to wipe blood away with the bandages that Bailey had given me. It slowly continued to drip from the wound. I applied pressure to the wound to make an attempt to stop the bleeding. The bandages soon turned red. I had no other choice.

I cast my hand upon the wound and started to chant words of the rune of light. The light energy spurred from my hand but the wound would not close. My magics were distorted as it does from time to time. But why now? When I need it the most?

Sara's breathing fluctuated from rapid to shallow and continued to be irregular. I heard Jessica walk into the room. She laid down a small bowl of hot water and dipped a clean cloth into the water. She applied it to Sara's wound and had me press down on the warm cloth.

"How did she get like this, Orias?" Jessica asked quietly.

"There was an assault on the first gate. A crypt fiend attacked her. I told her to stay back but…" I trailed off and just bowed my head to the floor.

"Sigh…It's not your fault."

"I should take the blame even if it isn't. I could have avoided this. I should have known she wouldn't have listened. But what else am I to do? Every time I try to keep her safe, she rushes back into danger. She keeps trying to hurt herself through these dangerous ventures. And I can't stop her no matter how hard I try. I don't know why she does this to herself. Why does she keep rushing into these things?"

"She…has been through much, Orias. You have to understand this."

"There's not much I am left with to understand. I…just wish I could understand what she's trying to prove out there."

"Well in any case, I'll depart for a moment. I will go to the medical house to retrieve some medicine for Sara. Will you be alright here?"

I nodded slightly in response and she left the room. After a while, Sara's breathing had started to ease and the bleeding stopped. I looked at Sara's face and noticed the serene expression. It was the first time I had seen her with such a calm expression. I could tell she was in a peaceful state even if unconscious.

Jessica returned with the medicine and administered it to Sara's wounds. She dressed the wounds herself and then asked me to wait outside while she removed Sara's torn and bloody clothes for clean ones.

While outside I could see the medical home bustling with a crowd of soldiers and medical assistants. The sounds of suffering were prevalent among the clutter of sounds that came from the site. The soldiers ran in with the wounded and ran out to collect more. The medical assistants were scrambling from one soldier to the other trying to keep who they could alive. It was a grievous sight.

Bailey made good on his promise and returned from his duties. He looked even more ragged than when he first came out. His clothes were now splattered with blood and he wore a tired expression upon his face. I greeted him and he replied weakly as I showed him into the room where Sara laid.

He removed the bandages and observed the wound. He said it was a lucky break. As luck would have it the wound was significant but no signs of poison or infection. He took a salve from his pack and applied it to the wound. New bandages were set and he soon left after I thanked him.

Jessica asked if she needed to prepare a room for me in case I wanted to stay. I replied there was no need to go through the hassle. I was suited just fine right beside Sara. She sighed but consented to my wishes.

I watched over her throughout the night. The melody of rain spattering across the roof and upon the windows however soon drove me to sleep.

The next morning, I was awoken by the sounds of someone knocking at the door. It was Danaris, still in his armor and looked beaten down. He came into the room with reports from the front.

"We burned the webbing and the corpses. We also took a complete count of the dead and wounded. Twenty one of our men are gone and fourteen were sent to the medical house. We were lucky we managed to save at least fourteen after what happened. Although about half of the men that were injured are no good to us in battle anymore."

"That brings much comfort…" I replied sarcastically.

"If you like that, you'll have to hear the rest. The crypt fiends got into one of the cannons and put in some serious damage to it. Without Agnar, we're not left with much more mechanics who knows the layout. It'll take us a while to fix it."

He paused and looked at Sara for a while.

"How is she?" Danaris asked.

"Better than she was last night. She lost a good amount of blood but we're lucky she's a strong one. She pulled through."

"Well, that's good…I got worried when I found this on the path."

Danaris revealed Sara's spear from a rag that was wrapped around it. He set it on the side of the bed.

"I didn't think she would just toss it out on the path, so I brought it up with me."

"Yeah, thanks."

"Sigh…how long do you think we'll have before they attack again, Orias?"

"Soon, much sooner than we would expect. They aim to wipe all of us out and will not cease until they do so. Just have the men be prepared until then."

Danaris nodded and was about to leave but stopped to look at Sara and then towards me.

"Will _you_ be prepared to join us then?" Danaris asked solemnly.

"Yeah…I'll be there." I replied.

Danaris left closing the door slowly behind him. I watched him leave and as soon as I heard the door close, rustling sounds came from the bed.

"Is he gone?" A soft voice came from the bed.

"You're awake?"

Sara tried to raise herself but I stopped her. I had her lie down again with relative ease as she did not struggle.

"What happened?" She asked.

"You fainted on the path. You were bleeding badly, so I had to bring you here. Why didn't you just stay put if you were hurting that badly?"

"I didn't think I was hurt that badly. Why…didn't you just leave me on the path?"

"Is that even in a serious question? Are you actually suggesting that I left you there to die?"

She did not answer but merely shifted from one side to the other. She faced her back to me and seemed that she did not want to converse any further. But I couldn't just leave some disturbing thought like that as is.

"Why do you keep trying to do this to yourself? You throw yourself headfirst into danger without thinking. You don't consider the consequences. You don't even consider the fact that you can get hurt. This goes beyond warrior's bravery, this is just being reckless. I try to spare you from this pain and yet you _wish_ for it. You _want _to get hurt and seems to be some firm desire of yours to die! Why is that!"

"You don't understand…"

"Then _make_ me understand! Because at this point, I could not be more confused."

"Do you have family, Orias?"

I stopped short and stared at her. She still would not face me and her long golden hair covered the side of her face. It was better that she didn't see because I was struggling with the question pathetically.

"Yes, I--I had…" I replied by stumbling over my own words.

"Of course you have. Everyone has family. Whether they like it or not, everyone is born into a family. I just wished…I wasn't born into mine."

"Sara…"

"Back home--back then. I was one of the daughters of the Dukray family. The eldest of two. People said I was lucky to have been born into such a prominent family. I didn't feel so lucky. Being the eldest daughter of a noble family in Lordaeron has its price. I did not have the luxury of deciding on how I wanted to lead my life. Instead, my mother trained me from birth to repeat and keep one ideal in mind."

I could see that her body grew tenser now. I tried to lay my hand on her shoulder but she quickly jerked away.

"Do…you remember the locket, Orias? My mother gave it to me on my 14th birthday, repeating that same ideal to me as she laid it across my neck. 'Stay pretty, always be polite, bring only honor to the family name, and find a husband that was like my father'. My family did not bear any sons to carry on our family name. The next best thing was to marry me off to some other noble family and create ties. That was my role in life, my only purpose that needed to be fulfilled. To be a mindless doll for some…I could not believe her. She established her authority over me and controlled almost every aspect of my life. My father did not care; he felt the same as my mother. My father was a cold man, he had rarely come home and only did so for the sake of appearances. But he had his own impersonal way to portray his love for my mother. He built an extravagant stone mansion just for her; a shrine practically. My mother was satisfied with this. To her that was the ultimate expression of love. And she wanted the same thing for me, thinking that it would make me happy as it did her. I didn't want that kind of life, Orias."

She started to caress her bandaged arm. She then took two deep breaths before she continued.

"I fought with my mother on many occasions. Conflict of interests, I guess you could call it. But on one rainy day…much like today…I ran away. It was just one of those conflicts that went too far and spurn you to do rash things. I took a horse from the stables and just rode away into the forests of Tirisfal. I didn't care where I went; I just wanted to be away from it all. Then…I was attacked. The horse was startled when a troll jumped out from the brush. It bucked me off and ran away. I was left with the troll. The troll had already taken out one of its axes and edged toward my direction. I thought it was the end for me. However…I did not meet such an end. I was saved by an estranged hermit who lived in the woods. I did not see how he did it but the troll was already dead on the ground by the time I had opened my eyes. A silver spear protruded from its body. It was then that I saw him."

Sara sat herself up upon the bed and took up the spear. She turned it to reveal an obscure engraving that was placed upon the shaft of the spear. My elvish is rusty and I could make out very little of the name from the engravings.

"His name was Baeril. He was a veteran from the Second War as many warriors of his time that survived were. He was bestowed many honors after the war but I had always wondered why he always lived in the woods. I asked him constantly as I continued to visit him after he saved me. He only replied to me with grunts and scoffs. He never talked to me much but he did take me in as a student. I watched him train once and started to copy him. The first time he watched me wave around a wooden stick, he grunted in disapproval. But he soon taught me how to use his style of spear fighting. It didn't matter to him that he took a woman in as a student, he…just took me in as a student. I learned and started to gain mastery over the technique. A long time had passed since and then…he wouldn't come out to teach me anymore. He couldn't as he fell ill. I took care of him while he was bed-ridden. And it was then that I asked the question again. Why a warrior such as him was stuck in the woods all alone? He did not answer but I found out for myself. He had crossed some ministers of the Capital City court over a territorial dispute. They had him framed for murder and embezzlement and had his estate taken away from him. He suffered in silence ever since then. I learned that one of the ministers was my father. He knew that I was his daughter, he had seen me before, and yet--"

"And yet he didn't leave you, he saved you despite what you're father did." I interceded.

"I…I didn't feel like I was worth saving. He had every right to take his revenge."

"But he didn't…because from what you've told me, he sounds like a true warrior. If he had taken revenge, he would have turned into something else. Things like that can change person. Change them into something unnatural."

She fell silent and look down towards the bed. I took her hand into mine and smiled.

"Did he also teach you how to be stubborn? Because that would explain a lot of things to me."

She smiled but only slightly. Sara then took notice of her surroundings.

"You brought me to Jessica's home?" She asked.

"Medical house was already being filled with injured soldiers. So I brought you here. It's a lot less crowded."

"Is Jessica here?"

"No, she's with the children next door. A lot of them got scared after what happened last night. Jessica went over to tend to them."

"Oh I see…"

She paused and looked out in the direction of the nearest window. She took a moment to listen to the rain spattering against it and then looked towards me again.

"Orias?"

"What is it?"

"How…how old is Gabriel?"

"She's eight now, I believe."

"Eight…my younger sister, Cynthia, was the same age as her. Did I ever tell you about her? She was so pretty and carefree. I adored her because she was not troubled by the status that was imposed on her unlike I was. She did not care… did you know Baeril died just one day before the attacks came? I was away from the city at the time. When I came it was a complete mess. I went to my mother's mansion first. I asked her where Cynthia was and why she hasn't left yet. She told me that Cynthia left, already with a group fleeing for the safety of the paladin stronghold. I asked her to leave with me. She would not go. She couldn't leave what my father built for her, her shrine. She would not let go. I left her and searched for my sister. It took me a long time…I found no sign of her. It wasn't until I started to hear the screams. A band of ghouls started to round a group of people into a dead end of the street. There were so many of them. But I saw her…I saw her…she was so afraid. She was among the people that were cornered in the dead end. I wanted to yell and call out for her but my voice did not seem to come out. I wanted to go to her but my legs would not let me. I was stunned, afraid of what was going to happen. I hesitated for that one moment, I hesitated. And my sister paid for it…she was only eight, Orias! She was only eight! And they…they…I did nothing but stand there. I could have saved her. I could have! But I hesitated…and I was afraid. I lost my little sister because of that one moment of hesitation. Because I couldn't act at that one moment. Why! Why did they have to take her! Kill me instead! Kill me…I…"

She was crying uncontrollably and was tugging on her hair. I stopped her and held her close to me as she continued to cry. I'm sorry Sara…I never knew…

"I…I'm not worth saving, Orias. Not what after what I had done."

I held her closer and let the moment pass over me.


	16. Fallen

**Chapter 16: Fallen**

In two days, the men have already rallied behind the first gate expecting the next attack. The damaged cannon had been repaired through the combined effort of our remaining engineers. All soldiers were to be fully armed at the first gate and supplied with arrows, gunpowder, and Gnomish grenades.

In two days, Sara was already up and about, despite my disapproval. She had consented into remaining in the town but would not comply with anything further than that one request. She would not have herself "imprisoned" within her own room. Stubborn as she always was but understandable.

In two days, the rain had stopped falling. The clusters of bleak clouds have yet to dissipate. A gray wall still hangs over the village and has yet to let one ray of light to glimmer through. But we accepted the break in the weather as a grace period. We had worried that the constant rainfall would soon cause flooding and get into the supply areas. We were fortunate thus far but…

In two days, _they_ came again.

The sound of the horn blared from the first gate at dawn. I had quickly retrieved my horse and rode out to the first gate. The sounds of gunshots and cannon fire grew louder as I approached closer to the gate. I dismounted my horse and ran to the battlement.

Banquo, Menteith, and Danaris were already there. Banquo was shouting out orders, while Menteith was enjoying some early morning target practice. Danaris came to greet me.

"Orias! It's good to see that you were able to make it." Danaris said wryly.

"How are we holding up?" I asked.

"Not bad considering--"

"Considering that they're sending us nothing but runners on a suicide mission." Banquo quickly interrupted, shaking his head.

"A few ghouls and skeletals with nothing better to do but be blasted back to the grave. I tell ya' Orias, you'd be better off getting some breakfast. I sure as hell could have used some. But we've got the situation under control. Most of the undead beasties can't get past the first volley of cannon fire. Even if they do, Menteith or one of the gunners would pick them off. Speaking of which…how much are you up to brother?"

"Twenty four…hold on there!" Menteith shouted as he gripped tightly to his rifle looking down on the trail.

He squeezed the trigger and a loud bang came from the end of his rifle. He let his rifle smoke for a bit and lowered it.

"Make that twenty five. Ha! Getting numbers like this, it's almost too easy." Menteith boasted.

I looked out upon the battle field. There were several craters already made by the cannon fire and there was much dead ghouls strewn across the ground. A few bones and skulls also adorned the torn battle field. I looked not more than a few moments until I heard a faint whisper within my ear.

"What was that?"

"What was what, Orias?" Banquo asked.

"Can't you hear it?"

Banquo took a moment to try and realize what I was talking about. He and Danaris stood to listen. Beside all the gunfire, cannon explosions, and bullets whizzing through the air there was a distinct sound carried upon the winds.

"That's strange, never heard something so odd." Banquo commented.

"It's faint…but it sounds so familiar. I can't remember where--"

A grave look abruptly crossed Danaris' face when he started to hear the whispers as clearly as I did.

"Oh no…"

Danaris rushed out to the front of the battlement and scanned across the battlefield. I looked on with him. I could not believe what I was seeing.

The ghouls' corpses and the bones… they were _sinking_ into the earth. It was as if the earth had been brought alive and started to swallow the dead whole. I realized what was happening. I had seen it before.

"Necrolytes…the damned men of the Scourge. I have not seen them since the attacks on the Capital City. The chanting was faint because they must be conjuring from afar. But what are they doing?" Danaris wondered.

"When they raise the dead, the corpses usually sink into the earth and then arises only a skeletal warrior where it once was. But this…" I trailed off.

The whisper now became louder. It was clearly some form of chant in words from some dark language of magic. The ghouls had already stopped their advance toward the first gate. The corpses were gone from the battlefield and looked as if they had never been. There was no cheer of victory this time. An unpleasant silence had been set in its place.

The ground suddenly rumbled beneath us. The earth quaked as the battleground in front of the gate had started to become unsettled. A great mound of mud emerged from the wet ground. I was alarmed when a colossal deformed flesh hand emerged from the mound.

"What damn sorcery came up with this…?" Menteith remarked.

Soon another mound formed and yet another hand emerged from it as well. We looked on in horror as a larger third mound was erected. A skull with decaying flesh clinging to its bony frame finally emerged from the mass of mud. The monstrosity opened its mouth as if it was taking its first breath of what "life" it was given.

"I haven't seen one of those things since I made deliveries to Dalaran. Some bloody archmage was experimenting with these things. Flesh golems, they called them." Banquo said as his eyes was fixed on the emerging monster.

"Well I've already seen enough! Blow the bastard to pieces! I don't care if you have to take it down with a hundred cannon volleys, I want it gone!" Menteith shouted.

The gunners took heed to Menteith's words. They had started to fire upon the gigantic beast. The monster wore no armor but its decayed skin was composed of thousands of ghoul's corpses. The bullets sunk in but they meant nothing. The cannons soon fired again in fury at the undead creature. The cannon fire blew off chunks off of the flesh golem but it continued to raise itself from the mud. Nothing proved effective against such a monstrosity.

When the golem had fully emerged from the mud, it raised itself to its feet. The gunfire was relentless but meaningless as it took a step forward. The cannon fire could do nothing to stall the advance of the golem. Step by step the golem approached the gate.

"Damn it! What will it take to make you die!" Menteith cursed as he was shuffling with his gun.

"Bastard! I got enough bullets here to--"

"Menteith get out of the way!" I shouted.

Menteith raised his head and saw the massive hand before it came down. He narrowly escaped the massive attack. The golem had set its massive hand down upon the battlement. The men scattered to the sides of the gate. The gunners continued to fire but the beast prepared for a second attack as it raised its second hand.

"Retreat! Fall back to the ground level! The gate is lost!" I shouted reluctantly.

The men ran in droves to the cannon rooms and made their way to the steps leading to the ground level. I struggled to make my way down with the others but as I entered the cannon room. A loud pounding came from the ceiling of the cannon. The decayed hand burst from the ceiling and sent debris everywhere down upon us.

By the time I had reached the ground level, the battlement was ripped to pieces. Stone and steel littered the earth. The golem had destroyed both of the cannons and the only obstacle that was stopping it was the gate itself. It pounded mercilessly upon the beaten gate. I could see Banquo grit his teeth each time the golem battered the gate.

"We haven't much time, Orias. That thing…" Banquo started but stopped short as the golem struck the gate even louder.

"What other options do we have left?" I asked.

"We still have the mortars but I don't see what good that would do. The cannons were supposed to be more powerful than the mortars and you can see what good that did against that thing."

"Call for them anyway."

"Already have, boy, already have. It'll do no good…if only I could get at the neck of that thing."

"What do you mean?"

"Golem's held together by magic, right? I remember that a continual stream of magic runs throughout the whole body supporting the movement. We cut those streams at the neck; the bastard would go down quick."

"You're saying the streams can be cut with regular weapons?"

"Of course not. But with mithril edge weapons they just might." Banquo said proudly as he raised his axe.

"When did you--"

"Remember, when I told you that story about King Magni and the revenant? Did you think I was just sitting on my ass while all that happen? No, fought right alongside him. Got a mithril ore as a reward and forged here to the family axe. Hoping to pass this to my son, once we all get out of here, Orias. And we can't do that until that thing is brought down."

I observed the surroundings intently. Something must be of use. The gate was but a few moments from being opened and when that monstrosity breaks it down, we will be at its mercy. We need only means to bring it down to stand a chance.

"Do we still posses the grappling hooks? The ones that you used for scaling down the mountainside?"

"I see where you're getting at."

Banquo made a quick motion to Menteith. Menteith nodded with a smile and rushed to the underlying crates of supplies that were brought up to the first gate.

"But do you think the ropes will hold against that thing?" Banquo asked.

"We can only pray that they will."

The men had carried the grappling hook mechanisms to the sides of the canyon wall. A small spike protruded from one end of the mechanism and the grappling hook was replaced with a ballista edge. We had set two at each side of the canyon wall. They would act as a trip wire and hopefully bring the beast down.

The gates were now ruined forms, lined with cracks under the pressure of the blows that it had received consecutively. The mortar teams had already prepared themselves by hiding at the sides of the canyon wall. The rifleman lined themselves behind makeshift barricades and a line of warriors on horseback stood ready. We were prepared for what was to come. We knew this day would come. We knew now we stood at the edge of oblivion…and we are ready to face what was to come.

The flesh golem broke through the gates, prying the gates with unholy strength. The doors were thrown down and the flesh golem ran through what remained of the top battlement. It advanced quickly. It was resolved in its intent to destroy us. It hungered for more blood to be spilled. It won't get that chance.

The men at the sides of the canyon activated the grappling mechanisms and the ropes quickly launched themselves to its opposing sides. The steel ends lodged itself on the opposite side of the canyon wall and the ropes stood firm. The beast's left leg got caught in the ropes and started to topple. I signaled to the mortar teams came in from behind and they quickly launched three consecutive shots to guarantee that beast came down.

A thunderous roar came as the monster collapsed to the ground. The second tiers of ropes were launched holding it in place. We saw our opportunity but it would not last long.

The golem would not stand to be repressed by a few ropes. It struggled to break free and used its hands to claw at the sides of the mountain wall. By this time, Banquo along with a few of the other soldiers were already on the beast. The axe was raised and came down hard upon the back of the golem's head. A loud shriek came from the creature and it continued to flail wildly. Banquo continued to hack at the beast's neck. Blow after blow was made and the debris that resulted was bone and rotted flesh.

A loud hollow cracking sound came with the final blow. Banquo needed only to sever through the neck at a half way point before the beast ceased to move.

"Oy! You did it, Banquo! It could have used more explosions but you can't beat the old hack and slash! HA!" Menteith praised his brother's triumph.

Banquo threw his axe down to the ground first before he came off himself. A few of the men advanced slowly towards the now large corpse. Banquo took only a few steps away before the flesh golem had suddenly started decompose at an incredibly rapid rate. The men stood awestruck as the flesh of the golem quickly melted from the bone and the bone had started to crumble away.

Banquo was correct in his theory about the golem. The connection that melded it together had withered away along with the golem itself. It was as if the beast was never there. The body of the beast scattered as dust in the winds. Nothing remained but pools of black blood which remain the only trace of its being.

There were cheers and sounds of congratulations as the monster disappeared but I do not believe that this was such a sound victory. This golem was on a suicide mission from the start as were the ghouls that were sent to form it. They were to achieve one end and one end only. To break the gate.

"It's not over is it?"

I turned and saw Danaris with the crowd of soldiers behind him. The crowd was suddenly silenced at Danaris' comment. I shook my head and looked out upon the trail. The clouds started to rumble and drops of rain started fall from the gray skies. The drops of rain rippled upon the pools of black blood as they landed.

Our sights were all set upon the trail as the rain started to come down harder. They were coming…

"Rifleman, stand at your positions!" I ordered.

The rifleman soon realigned themselves back into their formations. Rounds of bullets were passed from one to the other as they reloaded their guns. Windrath's knights pulled down their helmet visors and drew up their swords and lances.

"Orias, what are you doing? We should retreat to the second gate." Danaris said as he was confused towards my actions.

"We stand to fight them here." I replied.

"That's insane! They outnumber us and we would have a better chance--"

"I won't give them any more ground! If we retreat, we'll be doing just that. The closer they get to the Central Town, the closer they get to our people. I'm stopping them here and now!"

I marched to my horse and had already one foot in the stirrup before Danaris came to stop me again.

"With what? We don't even have the cannons anymore! How are we to suppose to fight them while we remain outnumbered?"

I mounted my horse and drew up my sword.

"Danaris…I can only ask that you trust me. I can demand your loyalty no further than that, my friend. If you wish, you can retreat back to the second gate, but I am intent on holding our ground here."

"As your friend, I would fight at your side through many hells. I am willing to follow you to whatever end but are they? Are you going to let them die here, Orias? You know what's marching up here but are you still willing to make such a rash decision?"

I looked around at the men standing ready for the oncoming invasion. They had no reassurances now. The mountain walls that have long protected us now seem edging closer to us, entrapping us within rocky prison. The undead will seep into this mountain one by one and soon overrun us. Every man that stood upon this battleground knew this and was willing to die to defy this. To defy death, to defy the odds, and defy the nature of what we fear most.

I left Danaris with no reply to his pleas. The knights on horseback drew behind the rifleman in formation. We would run them down with our cavalry once they got close. In the meantime, our rifleman will pick off the first wave with deadly force produced by their guns.

Mist started to rise from the heavy rainfall obscuring our sight beyond the trail's horizon. No steps or quick shuffling of ghouls could be heard as thunder rumbled in the heavens above. We were left blind and deaf in battle.

"Agh! What's taking the bastards so long? Ey' Brizon! Have your team fire off a shot!" Menteith shouted to the mortar team.

Brizon nodded and his team proceeded to do just Menteith ordered. Carefully placing the mortar shell in the mortar, the mortar was set to fire. Brizon took out a scope to see if he could survey a clear shot through the mist. A sharp shattering sound was heard that caught my attention.

Brizon fell to the mud, blood pouring from his head and an arrow protruded from his eye socket. Brizon's team backed away from where the unfortunate dwarf had fallen.

"Shit! Where the hell did that come from!" Menteith shouted with a startled tone.

"Mortar teams commence artillery bombardment!" I shouted.

Brizon's team was remained shocked at the sight, while the other teams hurried to insert shells into their mortars. The rifleman drew up their rifles closer and stared intently out at the trail. Danaris had run up beside me with sword drawn. I looked down at him.

"To whatever end, Danaris?" I asked him.

"And through whatever hell. I live with no regrets." Danaris replied with resolution.

The sounds of thunder were soon silenced by the loud explosions of the mortar blasts. Flinging mud at all sides as they exploded. From the first moments that shapes started to appear on the trail was the second the rifleman let loose and fired madly. The bullets whizzed through the air, not knowing if they had met their targets through the now dense mist.

Retaliation was however just as swift. Arrows came from the watery mist. The crude arrows met several of riflemen and took out one of the wayward knights. The horses were startled as the knight fell to the mud.

"Knights at my mark!" I shouted.

The knights had quickly rallied to me. Hundreds of hooves lined the battlefield. Ghouls emerged from the mist and their mouths dangled open with anticipation. It would soon be denied its feast.

"Rifleman, withdraw to second positions!"

The rifleman fell back to the rear and I yelled for the charge and the warhorses galloped forward swiftly. The advance was quick and the iron hooves soon trampled ghouls that were caught unaware. The mist fogged much of the Undead army as we soon saw that the ghouls were more numerous than what we had first anticipated. It was a river of ghouls that I fought against. I was going against this undead tide.

Swords raked across rotted flesh of the ghouls and even more were trampled underneath my horse. The explosions grew close and the sound was deafening. I swung my blade madly from one ghoul to another. With the small company of knights we were able to push back the advance. Many of these men are experienced and have survived through many attacks similar to this one, it did not take long before fifty, hundred, five hundred of the ghouls fell. But the ghouls were not kept aground. As soon as a knight was overtaken, he and his horse were brought aground and the ghouls were quickly upon him bringing him to a horrendous end.

I could hear the foot soldiers bringing up the rear guard. Banquo was leading the foot soldiers through and swiping his axe at any undead that got in his way. Danaris was right beside him and Menteith's shots could be heard one after the other almost in simultaneous synch.

We were pushing them back at least 100 breadths away from the gate. We were winning the battle. The Undead have not proven invincible as we had first presumed. They can be taken down just as simply as any other mortal enemy. I knew that we were edging towards vic--

"AGH!" I shouted in pain.

I felt a burning sensation and sharp pain coming from behind me. My back seemed to be burning from the inside. The pain had rippled throughout the whole of my body. It was then that I felt yet another sharp pain. I screamed in agony and fell from my horse with a thud.

Everything was a blur now. The sights and sounds were all meshed together. I could not make out anything with my senses. The pain…the pain!

"Orias!" A voice shouted but it seemed distant to me.

I turned over onto my stomach and tried to raise myself with my sword. I failed to do so and fell yet again to the ground. I lied on my back now, gazing up at the overcast sky.

It was all a gray blur. I could not see the rain but I felt it upon my face. The rain did not soothe the searing pain that burned in my body.

I suddenly felt something tugging at me, I could not discern who or what it was. I could make little out of the contorted sounds that I heard.

"Orias…take him…" a voice sounded.

"Grenades!" A loud shout came from another place.

Another loud sound soon followed. I could feel myself getting pulled again. Everything was moving, swirling, and twisting around me. The sensation of sight and sound became one and the same. It persisted and I could not discern one moment from the next.

"Orias…Orias…" a voice came again but different this time.

The blur started to form to shapes. I could not see but instead reached out. I felt something soft against my hand.

"Orias! Are you okay? Please, say something!" The voice became more familiar now.

"S--Sara?"

My sight had come from the out of the blur. I could see Sara's face in front of me. She was beside me holding my hand. Bailey was also beside me. He was struggling with medicine pack and stumbled from one potion bottle in one hand and bandages in the other.

"Stay still, Orias. We got you in safe. It's alright, your safe now." Bailey reassured me.

"What happened? Where…where am I?" I asked in a daze.

"Orias, your injured! You have to stay--Orias, what are you doing?"

I raised myself from a mat that was set upon the ground. I looked around me and knew at once that I was now at the second gate. I could see that the gates were shut now and the cannons from the battlement of the second gate were firing.

I brought myself to my feet despite the discouragement of Bailey and Sara. I started to walk to the gate's stairway. Sara followed and supported me with her shoulder. I could hardly balance myself.

"Sara…take me…take me to the battlement. I need to see…where are the others? What happened?"

"Banquo and Menteith brought you in like this. We had to shut the gate when you came in."

The battlement on the second gate was lined with a mix of archers and rifleman. I looked out on the battlefield. I could not believe what I saw. The first gate had an army of 200 men. I could now see only 20 now on the far side of the battlefield. Danaris was one of them.

"No…no how did this happen? Open the gates now! Bring them in they can't last out there!" I ordered.

But my order fell on deaf ears as the men proceeded to do what they were doing. I then caught sight of Menteith who ran towards me.

"Damn, boy! You're up? We can't afford have you out here, Orias. You have to stay--"

"Bring them in, Menteith!"

"What?" Menteith shot a strange look in my direction.

"Bring Danaris and the others in they're still out there!"

"I…I can't do that, Orias."

"What? Why can't you bring them in?"

"Look out on the battlefield. It's been strewn with mines. The last thing Agnar did before he got killed that night. It's been activated after you got in."

"No! You can't say that we can't save them. We can still save them! I'll bring them out myself, just shut down the--"

"I can't, Orias! Don't you understand? I'm sorry, boy. As much as I want to I can't, Danaris wanted us to activate the mine field once you got in."

I looked back on the battlefield. The numbers have dwindled further. It was only Danaris and two others now. The men had stopped firing and watched the remnants fight.

Ghouls and skeleton warriors were their opponents and they surrounded the three. They were armed with only sword and shield and the Undead mockingly sent in three ghouls or skeleton warriors at a time to see if the three could fight them off.

The first one fell to a skeleton warrior and the other a ghoul and Danaris was the last left alive. He looked on at the undead horde that surrounded him. More ghouls were set upon him and he fought each of them off. They sent more skeleton warriors and one of the skeleton warriors had broken through his wooden shield. He was now left with only a sword.

More ghouls were sent and more ghouls fell dead to the ground. Danaris was tiring, they knew it. But even from the distance, I could feel the battle fervor from Danaris. He was determined to win. He urged more of the undead to come up to challenge him from the circle of the undead that surrounded him. None of them responded.

A pack of ghouls backed away to give way to something that was advancing down the trail.

_I always felt you did the more for me, than I did for you._

"No…" I grabbed my head as it started to ache again.

_I'm just grateful that you helped me get in the Lordaeron Army._

A band of skeleton archers were drawn up in a line staring down at Danaris. Danaris stared back with sword drawn up.

_I'm always thankful that I got in._

"Danaris…"

_She was so proud of me when I first came in uniform. _

"This is my fault…"

The archers drew arrows and pulled back their bow strings.

_I couldn't be with her. I wanted to be with her_

I looked out on the battlefield. Danaris stood poised and stared down at the archers.

_If I had to go against an entire army of Undead by myself, I would show no regret._

_I would show no regret._

"NO!"

The arrows flew through the air and silence had replaced everything. Danaris fell to his knees and then dropped down to the ground.

"Danaris!"

"Keep him back! Orias, stay down!" Menteith urged.

"Damn it! No! I won't let them! I can still…fight..."

My body collapsed upon itself. I could move no further. Everything became dark now.


	17. From the Darkness

**Chapter 17: From the Darkness**

A long and infinite daze…this was the only feeling that I could comprehend. Time had passed me with unending leaps and bounds. I could no longer place myself within any sense of reality.

But through this long daze, I found relief. The area around me grew warm again. I could see light streaming from an unknown source. The picture in my mind soon became clear. The very feel of the area became familiar to me. Yet, I felt displaced despite my consciousness and sense of place. I did not realize it until I looked about my surroundings. I now know where this familiarity comes from…home.

I was in my home again. This warmth I have not felt in a long time now seems so strange to me. My body suddenly moves without warning as if I was not the one controlling it. Suddenly, one of the doors of the rooms had opened.

"Buzan how is she?" I said these words but I felt as if they were not my own.

I saw Buzan walking away from the door. A woman followed behind him. She bowed respectfully towards Buzan and left with a somber look upon her face. Buzan turned to me and shook his head.

"I am deeply sorry, Orias. I did what I could for her but she's not responding to the treatments. I have tried light magic, herbalist's remedies, and called in clerics from North Shire but this sickness…it is a strange one. Your mother is not the only case that I have seen with this affliction. There are many others that suffer the same condition from the northlands. This disease, it's now become a plague upon this land. I do not understand why we are unable to--"

Buzan looked at me with a sympathetic gaze and let out a short sigh.

"In any case, Orias, you should go see your mother now. Never mind your post, I will cover for you. It's more important to spend whatever time you have with her."

Buzan rested his hand upon one of my shoulders and sighed again as he left.

I touched upon the half open wooden door but I did not endeavor to push the door open. I realize what this was now. It's a memory from long ago. This memory that I thought had been long forgotten.

I pushed the door open and discovered my mother resting upon her bed. She had become more frail and her skin pallid. Her silver like hair was bound by a single thread to form a long resting ponytail that was lazily draped over the side of the bed. She had turned her head towards me as I rested by her bedside.

"Orias…" she whispered weakly.

She slowly extended her hand and I caught it in between my own hands.

"Have you been--No, of course you haven't been well. I apologize…" I started awkwardly.

"Buzan and I have started to look for a cure for you soon. Our entire paladin council is looking for a way to fight this disease, so you don't have--"

She shook her head and smiled. I stopped in explaining any further and silenced myself.

"It is alright, Orias. It is alright…" She said as she settled again in another period of silence.

She edged her head closer towards me.

"Have you been busy recently?" She asked me weakly.

"Well it is a complicated situation. There is turmoil to say the least within the capital and elsewhere. We are ordered to keep the peace and investigate certain matters. So it would be fair to say I've been on my feet for quite awhile."

She smiled again but it was a short lived smile. She was preparing to rescind from casual conversation.

"Have you seen your father?"

"No, I have not." I replied bluntly.

"Are you still angry, Orias? Do you still hate him so?"

"He will not show his face to me. I have inquired for his audience on many occasions and he still refuses to see me. Is that not clear indication that he is ashamed? Is he so much of a coward?" I spoke in a restless tone but stopped short in continuing in any such dialogue towards my mother.

She had closed her eyes and turned her head away from me.

"Can you not forgive him, Orias?" She asked in a soft tone.

"How can you bring yourself to forgive him? Even now, as you lie here, how can you absolve him for such an audacious act?"

"There is nothing to forgive, Orias. You must understand that…"

My mother trailed off of her words. She was already weak and could not pursue to finish what she was going to say. At the time, I did not know why she would not so much as blame him for his actions or breathe a word of contempt. It wasn't something I could have understood then.

"Passion and hatred continue to burn fierce, Orias. They burn so fiercely that in the end, they consume themselves."

Her volume trailed off of these words but she held my hands tighter with her own.

"I hope that it will not consume you, Orias…this is…my sincerest hope."

Her grip suddenly turned even tighter to my hands. Something was strange about this moment. It felt odd or unnatural as if the flow of this very memory was being obstructed by something else.

I turned my head up in horror to see that my mother's hand was rotting. The very bone was digging into my skin emitting a quick sharp pain in my hand. I turned to see that my mother's face had rotted away to a fanged skull-like beast.

I tried to draw myself away but some unknown force kept me still. The beastly skull turned to my direction and opened its jaw to reveal the massive jagged canine teeth.

"_Consume…" a_ voice came from the opening of the jaws of the skull.

The skull lunged and quickly sunk its teeth into my neck. The teeth strangled my airways and I could not breathe. I struggled to bring myself away but struggled futilely. The area grew dark again as I held my hands to my throat. I struggled for breath and lunged forward into the darkness.

"Orias! What's wrong?"

I broke into reality abruptly. I could see that I was in a different room now but I still struggled for breath. I still felt as if the fang was lodged in my neck. I gagged and gasped for air.

A gentle hand touched the sides of my face and held my head still. I suddenly grew calmer and actually started to breathe again. My consciousness had been fully restored now. I was staring directly into Sara's face as she held the sides of my head.

"Orias are you--do you need help? Answer me…please." She asked calmly.

My breathing became easier and my body soon came under my control. I felt that I was on a bed. This was good because I felt drained of what little energy I had. I lied back down upon the bed.

Sara took a wet cloth rag and started to wipe away the sweat from my body. I suddenly felt sharp pains from my back and observed that my chest area was covered in white cloth bandages. What has happened to me? I drop into blackness after collapsing at the gate and now it seems I am being nursed in Sara's room.

Sara set down the cloth rag and started away from me. I caught her by the hand to prevent her from leaving.

"What happened?" I asked hoarsely.

"Orias, you need to rest." Sara responded tiredly.

"What happened?" I asked again more firmly.

She loosed herself from my grip and stood stiffly. She would not show her face to me. She instead faced the misted window. I could see that it was still raining. The wretched rain did not cease even afterwards.

"Could this not wait until tomorrow?" She finally replied.

"Sara…I need to know what happened at the gate. I need to know what happened at the gate, what happened to my men, and…what happened to Danaris?"

"I…I only know what, Menteith told me."

She turned her head and revealed a stream of tears flowing down the side of her cheek.

She quickly wiped them away and settled herself at my side to recollect on what had happened.

"At the same moment you were taken down, was the same moment that everything went wrong. Menteith said that Danaris saw you get shot down by two arrows. He saw you drop from your horse. Danaris was the first one to reach you. He tried desperately to drag you away from the fighting. It was not until Danaris found Banquo was he able to help you escape. But a large grenade explosion threw everything into chaos. Banquo lost sight of Danaris in the confusion. I saw Banquo and Menteith bring you back to the gate. I could see that you were in pain and I tried to pry the arrows from your back with my hands but Bailey stopped me. The arrows--"

A sudden sharp pain jabbed at me again. It was from the wounds on my back. It felt as if the wounds were being ripped open again. Sara quickly tried to turn me on my side as she took out a small vial that contained some kind of clear liquid. She eased the vial over my wounds and let the liquid pass over them. The pain had suddenly faded.

"The arrows were tainted with some kind of poison. Bailey could not take them out himself without cleansing it. Even as he was treating you, I could see the poison spreading. It was like black web weaving across your skin. Bailey had managed to stop it from spreading but the markings still remain."

"So…Danaris is dead along with 200 soldiers and I walk away from it all with a few scars."

"Orias, no one knew how that battle could have ended."

"I could have brought them back! I could have…"

"There are many things we wish we could have done, Orias. Many things we wished we could have done in the past to change our present problems but certain actions have already been performed. What decisions we have made have passed with our actions. We can do nothing to change that."

Sara rose from her seat and took a few slow steps toward the door.

"I would like you to get some rest Orias. It's been a trying day, for all of us."

Sara closed the door behind her as she left. I could not bring myself to find comfort in her words. This might simply be because I had refused to or I did not deserve such words. I have always viewed Sara as a person who makes rash decisions. But in truth, I am the one who has truly been careless. I so thoroughly believed that we could have driven them back upon force alone. I had killed the soldiers at the gate. I was the one who had left Danaris for dead. These thoughts will haunt me and plague me to no end.

The last images of Danaris' fall had been burned into my thoughts before I went unconscious. They have taken much from me. My mother had died from their plague, my mentors and comrades fell to their horrendous armies, and they have taken my friend to the grave that he did not deserve.

I looked out towards the window again. It was strange feeling that I felt now. I do not hear the pattering of the rain upon the window or the grayness of the sky. I could sense them and only them out there now. I could feel them waiting in the shades of the mountain. They will attack again…they will try to take what little I have left now…I will not let them.

The morning had come with little change. No light could discern the atmosphere of the town as day or night but the differences come with the rise of shuffling of soldiers outside the door. I could no longer lie upon the bed. I raised myself despite the pain of movement. I laid my hand upon the bandages and slowly ripped them away. I wanted to see it.

The bandages were tied tight around the wound and it was painful to remove. When the final layers of bandages were stripped from me, I turned to the window. The window offered little reflection but I could see myself in it. I turned and saw the markings.

It was as Sara described a web of dark veins that ran from the two arrow wounds. They have not healed as I presumed from the enduring pain.

"Such horrible wounds…" A voice came from behind me.

I turned to see Arisman at the doorway.

"I apologize for the intrusion but I felt that I need to speak with you"

Arisman proceeded to enter the room. I did not turn or move away from the window but instead turned my head to observe Arisman shifting to one spot to the next. He felt as if suddenly amazed by the room.

"You must have suffered terribly. I do not speak in part of your wounds but rather towards your lost. I express my deepest condolences, Orias."

"I thank you for your concern, Arisman, but I wish to be left--"

"He did not deserve to die that way."

I paused and turned my head away.

"None of the soldiers out there should have died such deaths. I can think of more peaceful ways to die but such unfortunate ends they all met. It dismays me deeply to see such loss of life. If Socrates had not been so stubborn with his decisions, we would not be in this grim situation. I do not mean to speak ill of him, Orias, as I know your ties with him are strong but you can see how badly this situation has degraded."

I walked slowly toward the bedside and sat upon it, brooding over Arisman's words. Arisman continued to address me.

"Can you not speak with him, Orias? Bring about some reason to those who will not be reasoned with. We might still be able to escape this mountain. But if we do not act now, we will fall further into the Undead's grasp. No more council meetings to deter such opportunity. We must give a final answer to this ultimatum. We must leave the mountain, Orias. We must save our people. I do not want to argue anymore…I only wish for our escape."

Arisman extended his hand towards me.

"Will you finally save our people?"

I looked up Arisman. His face was as resolute as his speech. He speaks the plain and obvious truth. We would die here if we remained. I have seen our disadvantage first hand. We have no way to fight them or drive them away. Escape now seems to be our best option.

I raised my hand to Arisman's when I noticed a strange mark upon his palm. I quickly grabbed the hand and turned it upwards.

"Orias? What is the matter?" Arisman asked inquiringly as he was confused at my sudden action.

"Where did you this scar?"

"Oh this…it was from an accident. A mistake I have made in the past that cost me this mark. It hasn't truly healed very well."

"I asked you _where_ you got the scar, Arisman."

"I--I find no reason for this sudden curiosity, Orias. It is just a scar."

"You were an official to the Capital City court weren't you?"

"What does that have to do with anything?"

"What was your position in the court, Arisman?"

"Heh…if it will satisfy this sudden interrogation, I was the regional surveyor. Land plots and road maintenance were the majority of my duties. Much of it boring, insignificant business really."

"Is that so? Now tell me Arisman, did you frequent to the council building back in the Capital City?"

Arisman froze in place when I mentioned the council building.

"I do not understand…"

"It's a funny thing really, Arisman. I was merely drinking with a few friends and one of them happened to retell an interesting story. About how a man who resembled much like a member of the court was at a council building meeting with a suspicious man. That man gave that member of the court a contract that was signed with blood and a dagger. A dagger that was infamously known to leave scars that could never heal. A day after this fateful meeting, the Undead struck down the many villages and the paladin stronghold. What was truly amazing was how they knew where each of the refugee camps and the locations of the escape routes. And wouldn't happen to be coincidence that you are a court member with knowledge of every foundation building that have land plots and every roadway in the Capital City."

Arisman's hand was shaking as he drew himself away.

"That's…ridiculous. Are you actually accusing me? And based upon some drunk guard's testimony!"

"What guard, Arisman? I did not mention any guard to you. I just said I was drinking with a few friends."

"No, I meant---"

"You son of a bitch. You knew what was going to happen to us. You not only knew; you helped them get to us. By sacrificing millions of lives to save yourself? _You_ sold Buzan out as well as the other paladins! _You_ were responsible for the death of Sara's sister! _You_ separated Danaris from his wife! And you were the one who brought us all here!"

I lunged forward at Arisman and grabbed him by the scruff of his robe. His face had turned from a fretful look to one of absolute fear. He should be afraid. He will face judgment by my hand now.

"Orias, you've gone mad! Let me go!" Arisman shouted.

I dragged him from the room to the exiting door. I kicked open the door and threw him out. He landed with a splat as mud adorned the scum. My sudden actions drew attention from those who were out in the town square.

"Someone…someone help me! He has gone crazy! He will kill me! Please someone help me!" Arisman cried out.

I grabbed Arisman again and landed one of my fists across his face. He fell to the mud again, spitting up blood. I raised my fist again but it was suddenly drawn back.

"Orias! What has gotten into you? Why are you striking at him?" A voice I recognized as Anteus.

"He deserves every blow! Let me be, Anteus!" I yelled.

I loosed from his grip and ran to kick Anteus down again as he was trying to get up. Anteus cringed like an old dog on the floor after it had been beaten. The bastard shouldn't be allowed to bleed! He shouldn't be called human!

I was held back again. This time by more hands trying to repress me.

"Boy! Bloody hell! What's happening?" Meneith shouted as he ran to see the commotion.

I diverted my gaze from Arisman to the surrounding crowd standing in the rain. They were horrified at the sight. Seeing me beat upon this old man as a crime but should be better understood as punishment to a criminal. I spat upon the ground that Arisman stood on.

"He sold us out, Menteith! This bastard sold us out! All of us!" I shouted.

"What are you--?"

"Do you remember Schell's story, Menteith? The one he told back in the tavern? Arisman was the official of the court that made the deal! He signed a contract in blood with that dagger! Look at his hand, it shows the scar! If you do not believe me have Schell identify him. There is no doubt that it was you, Arisman!"

I took a few moments catch my breath. My throat ached from the yelling, my body ached from the sudden movements, and my mind was a flurry of angered thoughts. Arisman finally rose up. He wiped the blood from his mouth and stared at me with a look of contempt.

"So what…so what if a few peasants had to die?" Arisman whispered audibly.

"You didn't understand how things were there among those who fitfully called themselves 'leaders' and 'representatives', they were all the same. I saw how their secure little facades faded with the death of the king. I have seen what fools they made themselves out to be. All they could do was bicker, quarrel, and complain while everything around them was being destroyed. Authority had no meaning in Lordaeron as it was thrown into chaos. I was driven to what I thought was the sanest thing to do. To save myself from the madness. I would have no part in their foolish quarrels. I would not be brought down with the rest of them!"

Arisman looked at me more intently as he grinned.

"You think you and your paladins were any better? Keeping the peace above and around Lordaeron? Bah! What could they have done! That Uther would not bring himself to believe that one of his own had turned upon him until he felt the traitor's sword run through him. The blood of the paladin's of Lordaeron was the first to spill across the land as its first defenders. They were as naïve as you were, Orias. They did not foresee defeat as I did! They were the foolish and insane! All of them! I did the only sanest thing! The sanest thing…"

Arisman turned about the crowd. It had grown silent from disbelief. Arisman wiped his mouth again and turned to leave. The crowd stepped out of his way but Arisman stopped short in front of one person. Arisman grinned at the person who stood in front of him.

"Did you always know…Socrates? I always felt that you did. Every time you looked at me or breathed a word against me, I felt that you always knew. Were you really surprised?"

Socrates said nothing but closed his eyes as Arisman passed him. Arisman did not take more than a few steps before he heard Menteith's rifle cocked ready.

"And where do you think your going?" Menteith shouted.

"You're going to shoot me now, dwarf?" Arisman mocked.

"No, I like this bullet too much to waste on you. I was thinking we could take a little walk." Menteith motioned his head at a few soldiers.

The soldiers grabbed Arisman by the arms. Arisman struggle but could not prevent them from dragging him away. At this time, I was no longer held down. Many of the spectators watched Arisman being dragged away.

"Where are you taking me!" Arisman shouted.

"Bringing you out to meet some of your old friends." Menteith chuckled.

The procession of spectators watched the traitor being thrown out of the first gate and the doors slammed after him. Arisman pitifully banged against them.

"Please! You can't do this to me! You don't understand!" Arisman yelled.

"I understand plenty you bastard! I'll give you the count of three to start walking back to your old partners. I'm sure they'll be happy to see you or eat you, whichever comes first. Start walking out!"

Arisman stumbled along the first few steps and stopped.

"But there are mines out here! How am I to avoid--"

BANG! A shot rang out from Menteith's rifle.

"Not my problem! Start walking!" Menteith shouted.

I saw Arisman look up at the battlement with a pleading look but knowing our sympathies for him were no more, he continued onward in fear of being shot. He stumbled terribly walking over the minefield. He walked slowly until he was soon out of our sight. He had not stepped upon any of the mines but a crueler fate waits for him out in the unknown.

That night I heard a loud scream coming from beyond the gate. The scream was abruptly brief as it was quickly silenced. The night was peaceful thereafter.


	18. Desperation

**Chapter 18: Desperation**

They are coming…ever so slowly do they lurk across the shadows of the mountain.

I can sense their intent, their desire, and their hunger.

They will come to finish what they had not done in the Capital City.

These thoughts spur within my mind. Was it after the dream? No, this feeling is not unfamiliar. It is only stronger now than it was before. The dream was nothing more than a distorted memory. But it was a disturbing distortion nonetheless. My mother died upon that bed and she was cremated afterwards. Her ashes were scattered across the winds of Lordaeron. She did not return as one of them.

It was a restless night, one among many others that I have kept awake for. But this night was unlike the others. Not one discernible sound came from the outside other than the pattering of the unremitting rain. A death-like silence had settled in the house.

I sat astray from the door of the room that I resided. There was no use in leaving. Where would I go to? The elders do not speak of anything now and the soldiers walk with disheartened paces. I have heard that Socrates had been bed-ridden after the incident and can barely respond. His sickness had finally taken a turn for the worse.

Jessica had left the home to tend to the children and has kept busy throughout the day. I have not seen Banquo yet nor do I know if he had learned of what had transpired. Menteith however had left for the first gate, grumbling profanities in and out of the town. As for Sara…there is no doubt in my mind that she had found out.

I pondered upon every damnable word that Arisman spat out when he came to meet me. He wanted to escape, this was his ultimate goal. He knew that he had enemies on both sides. He knew he could have been killed if he was found out. His last pleas to flee were out of desperation.

It was foolish to have considered his idea. It was true that we are beaten back into this corner by the Undead but to walk out into the open would be committing suicide. The Undead would have already strewn their masses across all the mountain paths. They are large in number and they do not rest as mortal beings do. We can only hold out against them through the limited protection of the gate and the mountain. They can not flood all their forces through such a narrow chasm. They bide their time only because they wish to eradicate us without foolish losses. But we lie upon both sides of a double edged sword and there is no way out. Our reality, our lives, and our fates have been condemned.

My wounds have formed into a permanent blackened scar across my back. The pain seems to have subsided for the moment. Sara took great pains to watch over me through the many nights that I lied unconscious. She left my shredded clothes alongside a few old bandages that were laid aside upon a table. She was also gracious enough to bring me a change of clothes.

I reached for the change of clothes abruptly and knocked my torn clothing off the table. My father's journal fell from one of the inner pockets. It landed opened upon the floor. I crouched down to pick up the book and suddenly found myself reading one of the dates of the entries.

_Winter Season, 18th year_

This was during second war. My father would not have been more than the age of 20 at the time. I picked up the journal into my hands and read the entry carefully

_We are making our advances toward Black Rock Spire. It is strange that it does not snow here as it does upon other mountains during the winter season. Only a cold chill runs through these mountains. Our orders are to stand and wait until we are called to the front. It is strange that we have not yet heard from Lothar. I have last heard that his military campaign had stopped at Black Rock Spire, the Orc's capital. In spite of our lack of information from the front, we have trudged through the mountains to find more suitable enclosures to create an encampment. _

_Winter Season, 18th Year_

_We have yet to hear from Lothar and his regiment of knights. Our situation has become dismal without as much as a note of good faith from the front. Despite the miserable conditions of the mountains, we have found signs of life sprawling across the mountain. A small Orc caravan had been discovered by our scouts. We intercepted them when they came near our encampment. The caravan was lightly guarded and peculiarly they did not carry anything significant. We had suspected them to be a supply caravan but carried no significant amount of supplies. However, a large wooden casket strewn with blood marked Orc runes was discovered._

_Winter Season, 18th Year _

_A few young mages from Dalaran have taken interest to the casket or rather what it contained. They have the discovered that the runes were not magically used to protect what was inside. As such the casket was pried open with little effort. I was awed at what was inside the casket. It was an armor so finely crafted that we could only presume that it was made fit for a king. The armor's luster of gold and silver were among its many distinguished features. A line of runes had also been engraved across the whole of the armor but these were not the same runes as the one's that were outside of the casket. The mages study intently at the meaning of the runes. It seems that they do not recognize such foreign symbols._

_Winter Season, 18th Year_

_The mages could interpret very little but uncovered something extraordinary. The runes that could be translated were interpreted as "Light". The mages have also found that the armor contained vast magical properties but are unable to discern the armor's potential. They say that it could be used as a weapon. Rumor spread throughout the encampment heralding "The Armor of Light" that would bring an end to the Orc invasions and settle a tenuous peace across the lands. I did not share in such views; neither did an elven ranger, Fennail. Fennail came across the sight of the armor and went into a craze. I knew little of what he said in elvish except, "A curse, a curse". _

_Fennail fled from our encampment. We have yet to find him._

_Winter Season, 18th Year_

_I conferred with a scribe in our company by the name of Socrates. I have learned that he is adept at ancient languages. I have hoped that he might be able decipher more of the runes but to no avail. However, he interpreted the same runes that were previously deciphered differently. They did not translate into "Light" as the mages presumed; Socrates had truly interpreted as "Flame"._

_Winter Season, 18th Year _

_We have come to an unpleasant discovery towards the armor. The mages that were studying it had been killed. They had been burned alive. It was as Fennail predicted, the armor was truly cursed. It is not safe to be used as a weapon. It is not safe to keep or hide away. It must be destroyed. We will bring the armor to the Kirin Tor after our campaign here is complete. I do not trust it in many hands as such unfettered powers could be used to bring much devastation. Socrates shares in my views and we have been sworn to its destruction. He is to leave immediately for the Capitol City in Lordaeron after we make our advancement into Black Rock Spire. I have entrusted it to him to deliver it to the Kirin Tor. I wish him safe and quick passage on his journey._

It would seem that fate is not absolute and change comes at unexpected turns.

"You shouldn't be here."

"I know, I'm just here to--"

"You _shouldn't _be here."

Menteith stared at me sternly with rifle in hand. It would seem that he was displeased at my arrival. This was not surprising as lately he seems to be displeased with everything. My arrival at the gate seems to have been too presumptuous of me.

"It's my ass if something happens to you, boy. I've got enough crap here to the town square to deal with. Go back, Orias. There is nothing here for you to inspect or check up on. The whole guard has been in a bloody mood since that bastard mouthed off. It's bad enough that they're moping, it'll probably get worse as the day rolls on." Menteith grunted at the disgrace.

I looked up at the dead gray sky and then looked back down at Menteith.

"You can still tell between the night and day?" I asked.

"Hell, sure I can. It's the daytime when I don't have booze in my hand and its night when I do! Ha!" Menteith laughed as he shouldered his rifle.

He then shuffled his way to the staircase leading up to the battlement. I followed slowly behind. He looked back at me towards the middle of the staircase.

"Ya sure your alright, lad? Those were pretty nasty shots you took."

"I'll live."

"Yeah well…we'll all see about that."

We both reached the battlement looking out across the drenched trail. The rain had formed large mud puddles across it. The goblin land mines lied just underneath the wet exterior. It was surprising that none had been set off so far.

"It's been quiet the days you were out."

I turned to Menteith as he somberly stared out into the widened gray sky.

"It might be too quiet at some points. I haven't let out a shot since and the gunpowder's just gaining moisture from all this rain."

"So they haven't--"

"No, not since you were taken down. I was thinking that they must've gotten scared off by the grenade blasts but that's hoping for too much, eh? Bastards won't be kept down by something that little."

I nodded slowly in reply.

"Our situation ain't looking any better is it, Orias?"

I paused at this question, as I pondered on how I should answer. Should I lie and respond in a naïvely as I have done before? Or should I say the truth and reaffirm his bleak beliefs?

"Hey! Something's headed up here!" One of the gate guards shouted.

The gate guard pointed out towards the trail. Menteith and I turned to see what sparked the guard's interest. Something indeed was coming up from the trail. A figure was slowly moving toward us through the mud.

"It's Riley! By the Light, he's alive!" One of the guards exclaimed.

I looked out more intently upon the figure. Something was wrong. Menteith took out his scope and looked through.

"Menteith?"

Menteith slowly put down his scope and shook his head. I thought as much. Riley was at the first gate. He did not come back alive. He is moving towards us but he is not alive.

"What the hell is he doing?" Menteith muttered.

The figure that we presumed was Riley came into better view now. The gate guards stood disgusted at the sight. Riley did not have a face instead an expressionless skull replaced it. The living corpse walked slowly and awkwardly toward the gate.

"What the hell! He's going to run into a mine! The crazy bastard what--"

Before Menteith could react, one of the mines exploded with great force. The corpse of the former Riley was blown to pieces and leaving only a muddy crater.

"I can't believe it! The bastard just blew himself up! He just--"

"Look! There are more of them coming!" One of the other guards shouted.

A flock of new corpses appeared now. When they came into full view, we realized these were not just random zombies. They were our former comrades.

"Damn it! I can't believe it! They're using them to clear the mine field! Rotten sons of bitches!" Menteith cursed.

One by one they slowly made their way toward us. Menteith took up his rifle.

"Alright boys! Get up your gear! Take'em out before they reach the mines." Menteith ordered.

There was a short silence in response to his commands. None of them moved.

"What the hell is the matter with you!"

"But sir…they're--"

"They're not one of us anymore. Do you understand? They're _not_! Take up your damn rifles now and fire on my mark!"

I slowly made my way towards the stairway leading down to the ground level. I have seen enough.

"Fire!"

And at that command a volley of gunshots echoed the canyon. Several more gunshots were fired thereafter until it became completely silent.

The tavern seemed darker now. There were no lanterns lighted this time. When I entered I noticed something shiny protruding from one of the oak barrels. It was Banquo's axe. The axe had been lodged deeply inside and the ale that was within the barrel had started to leak out forming a large puddle upon the floor.

I saw Banquo hidden away at a corner seat of the tavern. One of his hands covered his eyes and the other hand had a half empty mug of ale. I approached him quietly and sat myself across from him.

"Came back from the dead have we?" Banquo said as he started to stir from his stupor.

"Yes, luckily not in the way we normally see now." I replied.

"This is good and for the better."

"Banquo, have you heard?"

Banquo grew silent and drew up his mug. He laid it down only to reply to me.

"It wasn't right. It couldn't have been right. Who was he to dictate who lived and who died? Was that bastard's life more important than my boys who died in the Capital City?"

Banquo took up the mug and chucked it at one of the tavern walls. The metallic mug clattered as it landed.

"It wasn't right…it wasn't right…"

Banquo turned away from me and leaned against the table. It was strange to see such an outburst from Banquo. Normally, he kept a languid demeanor but mentioning his losses seems to have pushed him into this corner.

"Have you seen, Sara?" I asked him.

"At the peak, the same place where you usually go. I wouldn't want to disturb her though. She is a bit more distraught than I am. But that goes without saying."

"Yes…I would suspect so."

It was strange to find Sara in a place where I usually find solace. She went there to find absolution to her pain.

This would not be the first time I found her like this. She often left her training grounds in the same way, tattered and torn with the exertions of her rage. This time was no different.

But along the wake of destruction, I found her serenely looking over the peak. Her spear was laid away and I could see that her hands have started to bleed.

"Sara?"

I received no reply. She stood still watching over the peak.

"Sara?" I called again.

She turned to show her face. Her eyes seemed dead now, almost expressionless.

She wore the same expression as the time we first met.

"You know now…that it wasn't your fault. You understand that now don't you?"

She did not answer me but instead stared blankly in my direction. I pursued to beckon her away from the edge of the peak.

"You understand what happened wasn't your fault. We all have that peace of mind don't we? So come down with me. There's no use in standing out here in the rain."

"It doesn't matter, Orias. You may say you have reached your peace of mind but mine? I've lost mine a long time ago. It didn't matter if Arisman did instigate the attacks, it makes no difference. I had a chance to save her but I couldn't. I couldn't…"

Sara turned away from me again and looked out toward the bleak skies.

I can not ease your pain by changing what had already been done. But if anything I will save you.

I arrived at Socrates bedside while he was barely trying to cling to his last few breaths of life. He was not long for this world now. I looked upon him somberly and tried to muster words to say but I said nothing. Socrates found words for me instead.

"Be of good cheer about death and know this as a truth-- that no evil can happen to a good man, either in life or after death. Remember this Orias…"

"Do you hold any regrets, Socrates? "

"I hold very few regrets, Orias. I regret only that I have to pass now and leave you all in this dire hour."

I could see Socrates tried to remain in a state of absolute calm. In truth, his pains were deep and agonizing but he would not bring himself to show it.

"It is hard for me to see you as you are, Socrates. Know that for many long years I have considered you my mentor and friend. But I beg you to answer this one question for me, old friend."

Socrates waited quietly for my question. I gripped deeply within myself before rising to the question.

"Where is the armor, Socrates?"

Socrates made no motion or note of surprise.

"To what are you referring--?"

"Where is the armor that is mentioned in my father's journal, Socrates?"

Socrates eyes now widened.

"Orias, you do not know what you ask for."

"I know what needs to be done. Where is the armor?"

"Orias, the armor is unnatural. Do you understand that?"

"I do not care if it were the darkest evil that to have manifested upon this world. I will do what I have been set out to do since the very beginning. I was entrusted to protect our people. I will see to it that this is fulfilled."

"Such ends are no means of salvation."

"Salvation? Is that the same salvation that we have hoped from Azeroth? Our own armies? Or own befallen king? No…I have learned that such salvation is not something we wait for. It is something we must grasp."

"Such I things I have heard before, Orias. Such things that have been done before to condemn the rest of us into what plight we live today."

"I hope sincerely that you do not compare me to him. Arthas was--"

"So avid in his fervor to destroy what he hated most and in the end became what he sought to destroy. I do not wish the same for you, Orias."

"Tell me where the armor is Socrates."

"The armor…" Socrates said closing his eyes as if trying to remember deeply in the confines of his mind where this artifact laid.

"I have tried to find means to destroy it. Antonidas would not see me. If it were not the Orcs pillaging towns, it would be then study of them in the internment camps. If it were not the orcs, then it would be turmoil in the Kirin Tor. If it were not the turmoil in the Kirin Tor, it would be the ransacking of the Undead. If it were not for the Undead, Antonidas would still be alive. I found only one thing that was truly resilient about Antonidas. He was a busy man. He kept his affairs above all others. He would not see me. After all…what would a chronicler and a librarian have of such importance? So what was I to do?"

"Where is the armor, Socrates?" I persisted.

"I kept it with me. I could not trust it to anyone else. I kept it safe and unbeknownst the power of the armor was hidden away under the very library I worked in. I sealed it away in an enchanted chest protected by the elves' magic. When the attacks came upon the city, I could not leave such a thing to their disposal. So when the soldiers came to collect us, I brought it with me. When we came to the mountain, I hid it away in an unlikely spot. I hid it away behind a stone of formidable size. I hid it away and thought it would be best that it would be forgotten there."

"The supply cave? Where were you able to--?"

"The caverns run deeper than you can imagine, Orias. You would not know what you find deeper inside the darkness of the cave. If you must…_Alleroa. _Speak it and it will be yours to take. But I ask that you to reconsider, Orias. I ask you not to bring yourself there. Please…Orias…evil can take no good man in either life or in death. It is only when man chooses to take that evil within himself does he become…something truly horrible. Reconsider…do not take it…"

Socrates breathed his last. But his words lingered in the air profoundly. I will take into consideration what you have said old friend but for now rest. Rest peacefully…

Socrates funeral was brief. Burning bodies is not a pleasant duty. It has become commonplace now but it has far from becoming tolerable. Nothing that is so tolerable to watch as one who severs ties with the last few things of his past.

I spread Socrates ashes at the peak. The stormy winds scattered his ashes across the mountain range. At least now I know he is free from the Undead's grasp.

The cavern was darker than I had expected as I traversed into the innermost recesses. The journey was long and difficult. I was bewildered at the vastness of this cold, dark inner sanctum. It was there that I found it. A stone of formidable size hid within it the locked chest.

I held out my hand against the metal framework of the chest. It was strange feeling that I felt as I touched upon it. A great and powerful essence lay within. It was as the journal had described.

"_Such ends are no means of salvation."_

I am sorry, Socrates. But for them…I am willing to take such risks.

"Alleroa"


	19. Purpose of the Warrior

**Chapter 19: Purpose of the Warrior**

The Central Town has become a different place now. What was once a place sprawling with life has now turned into a desolate swamp. Those who were not fighting at the gate remained locked in their sheltered homes. They cringe in fear knowing what is knocking on the gates of the town. They fear that they only escaped the horror to relive it once more. Such fears I hope to diminish with this act.

I walked slowly passed the many homes of the survivors. The muddy roads were no longer treaded upon. They were empty and seemed to be boundless now that it was no longer of much use.

The rain no longer pelted the sides of the homes but instead settled to a light, continuous haze of water. The watery mist had surrounded the mountain. This would make it hard for the gate guards who were already under attack.

The sounds of the horns were already blaring and the sounds of battle already echoed through the canyon. Yet I made no effort to hurry myself toward the gate. I was reassured. Such unfounded peace of mind came from the very moment I set eyes upon the armor.

It was as the journal described. From the very luster to the etched runes, it was a glorious thing to behold. I donned the armor and the armor seemed to suit me well. It was unlike any other. The armor seemed almost weightless and felt as if it became part of my very skin. The understanding of the power within still eludes me but that will soon be amended when I reach the battlegrounds.

"Cover!" One of the gate guards shouted.

A loud raking sound of metal upon metal soon followed. These Forsaken seemed to have employed a new strategy. The gate was tearing to pieces. I could see metallic razor edged discs that have made it over the gate after it ripped through the tops of the battlement. A new form of artillery?

Retaliation from the guard came swiftly. The cannon bursts were louder and more destructive then they ever were. The gunshots were continuous and volleys of arrows disappeared into the mist.

I saw Banquo loading mortars along with the other mortar teams. Anteus was not far with a group of archers with long bows. Both were firing frantically away over the gate.

"Alright! Center it out, boys! Get the blasts out farther from the gate! We ain't got--Orias?"

Banquo left the mortar teams and ran towards me. Banquo stood at awe and confusion.

"What the hell, lad? Why--"

"What are they doing now, Banquo?" I inquired.

"Right, my guess is the bastards brought up those rickety catapults. The sadistic sons of bitches traded in corpses for those disc things. Trying to break down the gate with them. So far it looks like its working. They're working outside the cannon's range. And from all this damn mist we can't see if we're hitting anything."

"I see…"

"Orias!" Anteus called.

Anteus left the line of bowmen and ran towards me with bow in hand.

"They're forcing us down with those catapults. We may not be able to hold them back this time if they break the gates. At most we can form a defensive line with what we have."

"Are your remaining knights still able to ride, Anteus?" I asked him.

"You're suggesting we ride out there?"

"There is no other option. We can not disable or destroy their catapults at this range. So we must go to them."

"Have you gone mad?"

"Anteus!" Banquo cried out in reproach.

"After you've been taken down at the first gate, you've been acting strangely. Just in these last few days actions alone were enough to draw the conclusion that you have gone mad. Have you forgotten yourself?"

"No…but have you forgotten what a warrior's purpose of being is?"

"What?"

"I was taught long ago that a warrior or a soldier is created for a purpose. They are created to rise in defense of their people. To protect what is most precious to them. Fighting to save them and to save themselves. We live and die for this purpose. Have you forgotten, Anteus?"

Anteus had grown silent. He would not trust his knights to me after what had befallen the first gate. This was understandable but I would not wait for such hesitation.

"Banquo, open the gates." I ordered.

"What are you going out with? Most of the soldiers we have left can barely support the defense of the gate!"

"I'm going alone."

"What! You're going to take them on yourself? Maybe you have gone mad, boy. But there's no stopping you at this point. I'll open the gate and you don't have to worry about the mine field, the bastards did away with that too. I hope you know what you're doing lad because I sure as hell don't."

Banquo left to fulfill my orders. I walked toward the gate.

"Orias!" Anteus called out.

I turned back toward Anteus. 

"I haven't forgotten what it means to be a warrior. I have sworn to protect our people as you have. I swore on the day we were defeated in the Capital City that I would not fail to save them. I will see to it that I keep that promise."

"We both will."

The gates slowly creaked open and I passed through them. It was there I saw that the mist had turned to a dense fog. A settled blanket of mist shrouded the path. I would be walking into the unknown should I pass into this fog. Loud shouting came from above the battlement.

"Orias! Get back in, lad! It's not worth it!" Shouted Menteith.

"If it was a clear day, I would support ya on this decision! I'd gun down the bastards while you walked up there. But ya going down there now is just plain suicide! As much as I hate to admit it…I can't shoot what I can't see!"

"Cover!" One of the gate guards shouted.

Another metallic disc revealed itself from the mist and was flung toward the battlement. The battlement was hit once more by another disc. Pieces of rocky debris fell from the site of impact. Menteith swore out at the mist and started shooting again.

"Bastards! I was trying to talk! AGHHHH!" Mentheith shouted in frustration.

Menteith took down his gun to reload as the other dwarves rifleman started shooting again.

I stepped forward out toward the path. The grounds just a few breadth's away from the gate were lined with parts and remains of corpses. The Undead did not cede to the minefields or the gates. They did not cede to mighty kings or mages of power. They did not cede even in death. But they will soon learn to cede to me.

Cutting through the watery fog had deemed to be more difficult than I had presumed. I did not know if a step forward into the unknown had mattered. The endless trail of mist seemed to be another plane of existence apart from my own. A white haze that was boundless and infinite.

It was then that I sensed them. They moved deftly and swiftly surrounded me. I could hear each ghoul scuffling across the mud. I could hear the rickety clink of metal upon every Undead warrior. Each and every one of them bent on my destruction.

An anxious ghoul rushed forward through the mist and faced me head on. It thrust its greed fangs forward but instead of biting down upon flesh, its fangs met with cold metal. I caught the ghoul by its head and held it aloft over me. This strength was strange and remarkable! Such power that instantly manifested within me was the very power I needed to defeat them.

The ghoul flailed wildly as it was trying to break free from my grip. I could feel the ghoul's skull slowly cracking as I was crushing it within my hand. The skull finally collapsed and the ghoul stopped flailing. I tossed what remained back onto the muddy grounds.

It was nothing to me now. _They_ were nothing to me now. I did not fear them. Come forth and bring your horrors to me! You have taken much from me but now…retribution will come full quarter.

They took not more than a moment to react to the demise of one of their own. More ghouls emerged from the mist with claws and fangs lunging toward me. I swerved and swung my blade. My blade cut through their rotting flesh and bone. I sought to destroy more of them.

Skeletal warriors came from the mist and soldier zombies as well. Their swords fell upon the armor only to break apart. More swords fell upon my armor and still could not pierce the hallowed metal. They were the tide of swords crashing against the unbreakable armor.

I bashed aside a skeletal warrior with my gauntlet to reach a clicking sound that was repeatedly heard through the mist. The Undead's catapults lied there.

As I approached closer to the sound, more of the Undead fell upon me. The ghouls were countless but my sword reaped through them to make a path. Arrows now flew through the mist and squarely upon my helm. The helm masked my face and protected me from their arrows. I was invulnerable to their ghouls, blades, and arrows. The only thing that stops me now is the sheer size of their army. No matter how many times I cut through them, more appear from the mist. My blade alone can not cut through hundreds or thousands of them. Yet I pushed forward to the sounds.

A ghoul clamped its fangs against my arm. Its teeth scraped across the armor. As it remained clamped upon my arm, the ghoul caught aflame. It quickly let go and rushed away. As a dog realizes that it had bit into something it shouldn't, the ghoul realized its mistake too late. The ghoul was already withering away to smoking ash.

So this was the power of the armor. Socrates was right in interpreting the runes as "flame". As it did with those mages from Dalaran, the ghoul had burned when it underestimated the armor's capabilities. I wished to learn more.

I suddenly felt the armor grow warm as I continued to fight my way to the catapults. Those Undead who drew to close to the armor were burned where they stood. I was a living flame. I realized that it was not the armor that grew warm but rather my whole body felt as if it were set aflame.

I was soon in sight of the catapults. These rickety "meat wagons" as they were called, served as horrendous container of corpses but now it was being used to tear down the gates.

I needed to reach the meat wagons but they were heavily guarded by more Undead. But these guards were unlike the ghouls, skeletal warriors, or mindless zombies. They dressed in cloaks and human armor. Their bodies were more or less intact but still rotting. They seemed to communicate each other by guttural cries. One in a distorted version of a knight's plate armor drew up one of his swords and raced towards me.

I caught his blade with my own. This Undead warrior glared stared at me with its glowing eyes. I broke away from our sword lock and quickly hacked away its head. The head rolled across the mud near the meat wagons.

Surprisingly the head still spoke. It cried out toward the other Undead and they quickly drew out their own weapons. Zombies in ragged clothes with bands of old cloth that masked their horrendous faces. Most possessed daggers and worn blades. They hunched forward menacingly with their weapons.

I looked about at each of the Undead that surrounded me. I have long realized that these things were all once Lordaeron's people, all of its fallen people. They reminded me too much of our dead soldiers who ran into the minefields. All of them were twisted to this profane purpose of annihilating all who breathed. But now I must cut each of them down. Every one of them was a reminder of how this kingdom had fallen into a pit of rotting despair. I will amend and atone for each failure of those who were entrusted to protect our people. I will not fail as they did. For now I will erase our failures.

I could feel the armor's energies surging through the very tips of my fingers. I could see that my right gauntlet glowed to a strange hue of orange and gold. I held out my hand in front of me and brandished the glow at the Undead soldiers. Even they grew fearful at the sight as some started to slowly edge away from the light.

It was not long before a great wisp of flame manifested and hovered above my gauntlet. It was a glorious sight. The very flames seemed alive and anxious to burn. The flame wisp slowly grew to a dark red sphere of flame. The crimson glow was reflected upon the mist and appeared to have become a bloody haze.

None of the Undead approached me. They dared not provoke the very power that I held in my hand alone. I know my resolution to be absolute. I have taken this power to save them. And now I will demonstrate this power to them so that they may know what it is like to fear.

The crimson sphere burst from its original form and spread across the grounds. The flame traveled in a twisting line and set flame to all in its path. The maneuvered and snaked its way across the battlegrounds. It was as if a giant serpent of flame hatched from its egg and taking its first meal.

The Undead soldiers and ghouls scampered away from the flames. Many did not avoid the searing flame and were set ablaze. All who were caught in the fire burned slowly as the fire started eat away at the dead flesh. The flames circled the group of meat wagons. Surrounding it in a ring of fire and entrapping its operators. A pillar of flame quickly engulfed the wagons ending its onslaught upon the gates.

I looked about the battlefield. The misty haze had been replaced by the gray smoke of the fires. The grounds had quickly turned into a realm of flame and ash. The Undead having seen this tremendous display quickly rescinded into a retreat.

Turn back from the mountain! Turn back toward your Dark Lady! Let her know our people will not be subjected to another slaughter. Neither the Forsaken nor the Scourge will reach them.

I am Orias Keleth, son of Darian Keleth and member of the fallen Paladin Order of Lordaeron! I have sworn to protect our people and I shall fulfill my duty.

A spike of pain shot through my spine and brought me down to my knees. I steadied myself with my blade and used as a crutch to balance myself. The arrow wounds have become more unimaginably painful. The heat of the armor now burned through my skin. It would seem the use of such power did not come without consequence.

"Orias!" A forlorn voice called through the smoke.

I did not reply. I grew deaf from the pain. All my senses could feel nothing but the lashing pain of the arrow wounds or the burning of my skin within the armor.

I could see it started to rain again. A wave of water rushed against the whole of the armor. It did not soothe the pain or ease the searing heat. The water that touched upon the armor sizzled away into small white puffs of steam.

"Orias!" The calls were closer now. I could hear shuffling of footprints upon the ground.

Damn it all…in this condition I do not know if I am able to fight again. The Undead will come again in full force the next time. My gambit will only work if I am able to fight again. Socrates, know that I did not take up this mantle only out of foolish desire. I plan to save them, I know how to do this now.

I will have to sacrifice myself in order to save them. In order to protect what is most precious to me I must rise and defend them with all I have.

Such is the purpose of a warrior.

Such is a purpose I am willing to die for.


	20. For the Rise of the New Day

**Chapter 20: For the Rise of the New Day**

"It's unlike anything I've ever seen…"

Banquo stroked his beard and observed the armor with great care. He has been studying the armor that I donned with a remarkable fervor. Banquo frowned in astonishment and frustration as he was detailing every niche of the armor. He proceeded to scrape across the armor with a small metal file. Menteith joined his brother in contemplating the armor's metallic composition from afar.

"Argh! Damn it all! I can't even get a sample from this thing!" Banquo shouted in anger. He threw down the metal file and paced angrily away from me.

Banquo set himself on a seat near the table. Menteith smirked but sat quietly while he was cleaning his gun from the excess gun powder that had settled at its mouth.

"Well it's not something we usually see, brother. Just looking at the damn thing, I can already say that it's outlandish. You think it could be made from some foreign metal ore we haven't discovered yet?" Menteith wondered.

"It couldn't be…it couldn't be! We've been in the metal business too long not to have seen every ore that was ever dug out of the earth. But nothing in Iron Forge can compare to the metal composition on this armor but I'm beginning to think that this thing might not be made of metal at all! It's unnatural I can tell you that much." Banquo concluded.

"Ha! Now that's funny. You're getting frustrated over nothing. What we really should be pondering about is that little display that happened out there. Now that was something to see."

Banquo shifted in his seat and turned toward his brother.

"You mean the fires?" Banquo inquired.

"Aye! I am speaking of the blasted fires that settled onto the battlefield. Now I've never seen a hellish realm of fire and brimstone but what we both saw out in that field was a fair likeness to what it could be."

"You're exaggerating too much. You act as if you've never seen fire conjured by magic. We've both seen tricks with flames."

"Tricks? Aye, maybe we have brother. But what was cast out there was far from an amusing trick. Impressive, there is no bloody doubt about that. Those flames that were set had charred everything down to ash. Everything from broken bone to rotting flesh to upturned earth had all burnt away. That fire was unnatural as they come. I have even seen small bonfires settle upon the many rain puddles. So many drops of water fell upon that scarred battlefield but neither rain nor rock abated its continuing blaze. Yet luckily for us it did snuff out but only did so from such strange causes. Its very existence was its own demise. A flame so persistent to consume that it would soon turn upon itself until it extinguishes. That is something to truly ponder upon brother."

Banquo gruffly cleared his throat and turned his attention away from his brother's whimsical ideas. He looked up at me as if he was attempting to peer behind the helm that I wore.

"Orias, where did you get such a thing? I don't remember cataloguing magical armors on my inventory lists." Banquo asked.

Both Banquo and Menteith looked upon me with curious looks. The idea that such an artifact of power suddenly manifesting about us was not easily fathomed or accepted.

"The armor was brought here by Socrates. It was he who hid the armor in the caves but had only disclosed its location to me only now upon this very moment." I explained.

"And it was brought to us at never a more timely moment then this one. But I'm curious as to how he could have obtained such a thing."

"That is unimportant." I said dismissively as I digressed from an uncomfortable topic. "Where are Anteus and Sara? I have called them quite some time ago."

The doors of the town hall had opened and with it the sound of footsteps entering upon the room. The door was immediately closed to shut out the violent gales that the worsening storm outside had caused.

Anteus entered first with heavy steps. He was still in his plate armor and now carried a wide buckler upon his back. Sara soon followed Anteus with her spear slung across her opposite shoulder. Both looked weathered down from the rain and wind.

"My apologies, it would seem that the weather has taken a turn for the worse. But this is rather unexpected. I would think we would be preparing for the next attack, not cozily resting here." Anteus announced wryly.

"Your anticipation is well noted. I called you all here because I wanted to disclose our plans to counter the next onslaught." I replied.

"My knights are ready to rally at the gates upon your orders. We should be able to hold them--"

"That will be unnecessary."

"What? Are you saying that you no longer require our knights?" Anteus replied seemingly offended at my response to his offer.

I rose from seat and faced him directly.

"If they wish to stay, I will not contest their wishes. But know that if they do, they will all die."

"Orias…?"

"Time is all that I require. The Undead will see us as a potential threat now and will come in full force the next time. The attacks we have seen so far will pale in comparison to what is coming. We have no resistance to offer them. They would wipe out whatever we have left of our army."

"And how do you suggest we counter such opposition?"

"We will flee."

I could feel that Anteus grew uneasy at my words. Banquo and Menteith were baffled at the suggestion.

"Flee? To where do you suggest we flee, lad? There are only two ways off the mountain! Going through the air on copters that don't even work anymore and the other is to go through those bastards who have all the trails blocked! Where else do you suggest we flee to?" Menteith shouted.

"You've found another way haven't you, Orias?" Banquo stated rather than asked.

Menteith looked shocked at his brother's instant perception as he tried to hide his own ignorance of the situation. All of those who surrounded the table listened intently at my plot.

"We will evacuate the refugees through the caverns."

"The supply caverns? And where do you plan on taking them from there? Orias, we don't know where those caves lead. My boys may have mined through the web of tunnels but we haven't explored further than what we needed. We don't know if any of the channels will even reach outside the mountain! It might all lead to a string of dead ends! You can't take such a dire risk, boy."

"I believe that the caverns will lead out into the open. The Forsaken's Undead will still be within the mountains by that time. It is a small opportunity that we must grasp."

"Kelv can take them through." Menteith interceded upon the conversation.

"You're going along with this? It's all crazy we can't--" Banquo started but Menteith shook his head.

"I ain't as sure of the idea of going through the mountain as you are but if Orias has found a way, it is not our place to shoot down good fortune. Kelv can take them through the caverns and to the outside. From there he could lead them to shore. He's been bragging forever that he has seen it on his flights. As long Kelv wasn't full of crap when he said he's seen it, then they will be able to find shore. If what Orias says is true then the caves are our best bet right now."

Banquo grimaced but saw reason within his brother's words. I could see that some doubt was relieved from Anteus. But Sara had finally moved forward to press upon the other issue.

"You have not told us how you intend to distract the Undead while the refugees begin to make their passage through the caverns."

"As I have said I require only time."

The realization had suddenly dawned upon her soon after the words had left me.

"So you intend to hold them back yourself. You honestly believe that you can control this situation? There are thousands of Undead waiting below the mountain and they will all march here just to face you? Do you have a death wish?" Sara said as her tone had turned harsh.

"I was given the authority to decide the safety of these hundreds of lives the very second we marched from the capital. When I was entrusted to protect their lives, I was willing to give my own. It would seem that call of sacrifice has come. Do not question my decision as rash suicide for I do not intend it to be." I replied firmly.

She was taken aback my response for some reason. She paused for a moment before she spoke.

"You don't have to die here, Orias." Sara said softly.

"At least not alone. I shall follow you, Orias. We are both bound to our respective oaths and duties but our goal is the same. As a warrior of Lordaeron and a protector of our people, I reaffirm my devotion to this cause with my life. I have lived this long for this chance and now I have it." Anteus resolved.

"Aye, and I don't believe I have gotten through this far to leave you out here bare assed. We've been through too much. I will stay to fight alongside you as well. Can't leave you out here to die, won't accept it." Banquo chuckled mildly.

"Then again I can't think of a better way to die. All in a moment of blaze and glory! It is a good day to die. A very good day to die on a day such as that! I couldn't ask for a better day! No offense to you Orias but you would be a selfish bastard to take that moment away from me." Menteith smirked.

"I do not wish to take away moments of glory or oaths that were sworn. I believe that you should not throw away your lives out of concern for my actions. But I will not deny you your will to stay and I shall be honored to fight along side you all. We will begin preparations immediately. The night is young but it is quickly fleeting. We will need the refugees moving before day breaks."

Anteus acknowledged my orders and left. Banquo and Menteith followed him out into the storm. I was left alone with Sara in the town hall. I could already sense her disapproval.

"Please do not try to deter me from this path, Sara. I have already treaded too far to turn back."

"You're being foolish if you think you can hold them."

"It is not up for discussion." I said dismissively.

"Then I am staying as well." Sara persisted.

"Do not defy me again, I only ask you to--'

"You're still injured and you will continue to fight? Are you not being reckless? I would be better suited staying at the gate. I can help you hold them back."

"The caravan will need your protection once they are outside the caverns. Lordaeron is still dangerous outside the mountain. They will need your help most of all."

"You're making excuses again. You believe that sending me away with the caravan will keep me safe? Do you need to play the martyred hero just to save me?"

"What do you want me to say? That I do not want to see you die? That this is my greatest fear? That I do not want to see another precious life taken from me when I have fought so hard to protect you? Then yes! A thousand times over, I will admit to it!" I said slamming down upon the wooden table with my gauntlet.

My breaths became heavy and my sight had turned blurry. I looked down and drew my hand away from the table. A burnt marking was in the place of where my hand had laid. I drew my attention towards Sara. She looked at me in a way that I have never seen before. But her eyes…they are so familiar. The same concerned eyes, such eyes I could not bear to see again.

"Do you not see it by now, Sara? There is a swift wind of death that blows across this mountain. The acrid smell of it plagues all of my senses! I wish to purge it from the mountain! I wish to purge it from this land! In this desperate act, I hope to save you. I would do anything to fulfill this."

Sara said nothing towards this. She did not try to rebuke, persuade, or cry out against me. Instead she continued to look upon me with the same sad, concerned eyes. She slowly turned from me and started for the door.

"Maybe it is not I who needs to be saved, Orias. Maybe it is you. Have you ever considered that?"

And with those words, Sara left the town hall. As she left, I could hear the rumbling storm outside. It is strong now and it is bound to get worse.

The word had spread out in the village. There is anxiety and fear that drenches the air about the Central Town. A second escape is unthinkable in the minds of many. But rather than quiver and shake in the cold darkness, the people now seek to gain their own salvation. The soldiers and villagers busied themselves in packing. The pack horses grunted and grew fretful at the thunder that the storm caused. Hundreds of crates and bags were moved from one place to the next. Supplies, belongings, and scraps of a past life were stored in the many packages.

The refugees were drawn out of their shelters to help with the packing. The violent gales and pounding rain made it only more difficult for them to perform this task. In the warm stables, Banquo and Menteith were drawing out the horses to those who were willing to take them. They have asked that I would oversee all of this.

I arrived in time for the last horse to be drawn out into the rain. Banquo and Menteith were in meeting with a restored Kelv. I observed them from afar. Kelv was carefully balancing himself on small wooden crutch as he was gesturing towards the two brothers while they were talking.

"You've got your work cut out for you, Kelv. I am not one who normally assigns a gyrocopter pilot to be a guide especially one who doesn't even fly straight half the time. But you can't get'em lost out there. You hear me?" Banquo joked.

"Ha! I may have a bad sense of direction. But you don't take me for an idiot, do ya chief?" Kelv asked.

"No, we only think you're a an idiot while your drunk." Menteith quipped.

Kelv laughed at this but stopped short when he realized his injuries still restrict him from things he is usually accustomed to.

Menteith then drew out a small envelope from one of his pockets in his vest. He showed it to Kelv.

"What's this?" Kelv asked.

"It's a letter to Hilda. Take it to her when you reach Iron Forge. I…want these words to reach her. Do you understand, Kelv?" Menteith said with a subdued tone.

"Aye, I will make sure it gets delivered." Kelv replied.

As Menteith drew his hand forward, I saw something that I had not expected. Menteith's hand shook unnaturally. Kelv received the letter and Menteith quickly drew his hand away. Kelv placed it carefully within his own pocket.

"Take this with you as well." Banquo said as he handed a wrapped, rectangular shaped parcel to Kelv.

"It is a bar of mithril."

A note of surprise had taken hold of both Menteith and Kelv.

"Chief, how did you manage--" Kelv started in surprised

"To gather a rare thing like that?" Menteith finished.

"Heh…it was not a simple task. I have collected and horded pieces over the long years and throughout all our travels. It had taken much sacrifice to even gather that much. I want you to take this to my son. Have him know that this came from his father. Let him take it as a sign that with this gift, I pass my business and my wishes onto him. These are just mere trinkets that I can offer him but with what little I have to give him I hope that he will forge something magnificent of his own."

Kelv placed his hands upon the item reverently. He took note of its significance and stored it away with great care in a leather pouch he kept slung about his shoulders.

"I will make sure I get it to him, Chief. I will make sure of it."

The Dwarven brothers shook hands with Kelv as their last gesture of farewell. As they were about to leave, Kelv called out to Menteith. Menteith turned and caught a metal flask thrown from Kelv.

"It's from Gregor's last barrel of vintage mead. I filled it before we left for Lordaeron. I took only sips of the stuff whenever I got nervous so it's still half full. More likely then not, you're gonna need it out here."

Menteith unscrewed the top of the flask and sniffed it for a moment. He looked back at Kelv and chuckled. Banquo laughed heartily at this as well. They enjoyed these last fine moments that they had.

I drew myself away from the stables. I experienced a new kind of pain from that moment. Was it guilt or regret? I looked out toward the gate. It has become an ugly thing. It had long protected us with its resilient strength but had now turned battered and weak. When the next attack comes, it will fall and crumble down to the earth.

"Orias?"

I turned to see Anteus upon his warhorse. He had dressed in the very same battered armor he wore when I had first met him in Sara's encampment. The torn emblem of Lordaeron still remains visible upon his armor.

"We are at the pinnacle and we gaze down upon the inevitable fate as it climbs towards us. We both see this and I believe we will both meet it with different ends." Anteus composed.

Anteus motioned toward my own horse that he drew out from the stable. He wanted to ride alongside me toward the gate. I took the reigns of the horse and mounted. We both rode with careful paces.

"Honor and loyalty, Orias." Anteus said with philosophical airs.

"What of them?" I replied.

"Are they nothing more than words to you and I? Especially since we have both seen nothing but the vices to these virtues. Is it something that we only say out of idealism or theory? Or is it something that was hand fed to us by our seemingly virtuous superiors?"

"I would say…that we have been taught that such things still exist. We as a people could not have survived this long without the basis of trust or faith in loyalty. And we as a people could not have perceived our morals without honor. Yet I have not seen with my own eyes of such examples. Only in written and spoken words have I known such virtues. Never have I seen such virtues performed out of action."

Our horses had stopped as we gazed upon a long procession of war horses and knights. They came in majestic formation. A long line of battle worn warriors stood proudly before the gate. They stood ready with weapon and devotion in hand.

"I would like to believe…that such virtues we have not yet forsaken. That maybe they are more than just words." Anteus concluded.

Anteus beckoned his horse forward as he led the procession away. I was left to ponder his words as I looked upon each knight. All of them were uniform in sight and in mind. This was not the same swaggering army that first marched here. They now know why they were sent. Another chance to live, to serve, and to die for their purpose.

I rode away with this in mind.

Jessica was tied to the orphanage. She ushered the children from one place to the next, calming them, and reassuring them that they would be safe. She had no foundation to build these promises on other than lingering hope.

I rode in while she was placing the children into covered wagons. I dismounted and hurried to her side to help her carry her burdens.

"Orias?" Jessica said as she gave me curious looks.

"Yes, through these cold layers of armor, it is I." I responded.

Jessica turned back to one of the children that was still in her arms. The child had started to cry but Jessica comforted her with her warm words. She then placed her in the wagon with the other children.

"Is Sara--"

"She is inside the orphanage." Jessica replied immediately.

I had handed one of the children off to Jessica and made my way toward the door.

"Orias, I agree with Sara." Jessica suddenly called out.

I turned toward her and she seemed to be poised to rebuke me as well.

"I believe that you don't have to die here…but I'm thankful. I know your reasoning for staying here. I understand this yet my sentiments seem to conflict whenever I see you. I am grateful to you, Orias, but I wouldn't stand to see you die out here. Please understand that Sara feels the same way."

I did not reply but simply turned from her and entered the orphanage. It was barren and there was little sign of anyone was left inside. I took only a few steps forward before I heard clanging sounds coming from one of the rooms.

I went to investigate the cause and found Roland struggling with a stolen soldier's sword. He awkwardly tried to lift the heavy piece of metal and drag it off the floor but only to cause more damage to the furniture around him.

"Roland…" I called out.

Roland turned and was taken aback at my presence. He guiltily attempted to hide the sword behind his back.

"Orias? Is that you?" Roland replied sheepishly.

"Why do you have that sword, Roland?"

"I--I'm going to stay and fight alongside you. Please let me stay, Orias! I'll fight the Undead with you! I--I can hold a sword, see?"

Roland tried to demonstrate his swordsmanship again and ended with destroying another piece of furniture. This act drew a light laughter from me but it also came with another revelation. He reminded me of my own actions at the time of the invasion of the Capital.

How I stood so stubbornly with Buzan to stay and fight with him. I knew why he wanted me to leave with the caravans.

I kneeled down and stood level with Roland.

"Roland, if you stay…who will look after your sister? Wouldn't she miss you if your were gone? You are the only family she has right now."

"I--I can…" Roland started to whimper.

"Roland, I want you to stay strong and look after your sister when you leave here. Do you understand me? This is your first order that I am giving you as a commanding officer to his soldier."

Roland wiped away any rogue tears that left his eyes and nodded. I told him to go outside and board the wagon with the others. He complied and left swiftly.

I continued to venture further into the orphanage. I remembered the room that Roland and Gabriel had resided in and made my way towards that room. The door was led astray again. I could hear faint voices coming from the room.

"Do we have to go away?" One of the voices said.

"Yes, we do Gabriel. So are you going to come out from under that bed?" A voice, I presumed was Sara's, had said.

"No, I don't want to." Gabriel replied.

"Gabriel, Jessica and your brother are waiting outside for you."

"I don't want to leave."

"Okay…can I ask why?"

I could hear Gabriel sniffling and withdrew from answering the question.

"Are you afraid? I can understand if you are afraid. Fear is normal because we often fear what we don't understand or what will happen in the future. But you don't have to be afraid, Gabriel. You don't--"

"Why do you want to stay? Why do you and Orias have to stay here?"

Sara did not reply immediately. She took a moment to pause and think about the question herself. I was listening carefully for her answer.

"Orias…he has to stay here in order to protect us and so are the rest of the soldiers staying here. Orias wants to see that you leave here safely and I want to see that you make it to your new home in Stormwind. You asked why I need to stay here. I need to stay to protect Orias. Do you remember that story I read to you, Gabriel? About Julia and the knight, Caleb?"

Gabriel did not reply but I felt that she remembered.

"I do not want to see Orias come to harm. That is why I have to stay."

Gabriel mumbled something that I could not hear.

"Gabriel, please will you come out? Can I at least see your face again before you leave?" Sara beckoned.

"I don't want you to go away. I don't want it to happen again. Please…I don't want it to happen again!" Gabriel cried.

"Gabriel?"

"My mother said the same thing! She had to leave with the other people. She couldn't come with us! She said she was trying to protect us by leaving from our home! I didn't want her to go. She promised that she would see us again. She promised! Then she went away…I don't want you to go away. I don't want Orias to stay here! I don't want…"

Gabriel continued to mutter under her breath now. I could hear Sara shifting from her place and tried to comfort Gabriel.

"Gabriel, I don't know if I can promise that I can see you can. But I can promise I will be always there for you. I want you to take this. It's not the same as it was before but I know that you liked it so much that I am willing to give this to you. When you have it with you, I hope that you will never feel lonely because I will be there with you."

Gabriel finally shuffled out of the bottom of the bed. Sara comforted her again.

"_Im thir an elanor se fa…_" She started to sing in elvish.

"_Fela thir se marin delas…_"

(I look upon the sea and wonder…)

"_Sema te allan se kera…"_

(Why you and your own live for tomorrow…)

"_Nel daphen tor las elan de…_"

(Many trees have become bare and flowers fade…)

"_San te ealas te fazen…"_

(But you and I seek upon the horizon…)

"_Im thir an elanor se fa…"_

(For the rise of a new day…)


	21. Nightmare, Part 1

**(Author's Note: **This chapter has proven to be longer than expected. As such I will divide it into three parts. This is the first part of "Nightmare".)

**Chapter 21: Nightmare, Part 1**

The storm had turned violent. The winds whipped across the shelters and they shuttered at each lash. The horses were led into the caves along with a few of the refugees and wounded soldiers. Others have chosen to spend their last nights within the confines of their own lodgings. They would have at least one last night of silent peace before they ventured into the dark abyss.

Banquo had set a few low lying campfires inside the cave to fend off the chilling winds and keep the cave warm for those who resided in it.

He threw a few more wet logs from a pile to keep one of the campfires going before he set himself beside it. The others were huddled around the campfire's warm glow. I however shunned its light and kept to the entrance of the cave, keeping a wary eye upon the gate.

"Orias…do you see it?" Banquo had suddenly asked.

I did not turn to him but I returned his question with one of my own.

"What do you mean?"

"Do you see our future? Our fate?"

"How do you--?"

"You're staring out into the unknown. As if you were trying to see the future through the dark and intangible mass of nothingness. Mages do the same thing you know or at least they try to. You concentrate so forcefully, that I would think you would have already seen countless futures by now, boy. Ha! It's no use looking for something that has not been made to come into plain sight. After all, the future comes when it comes. In the mean time, come in deeper to the cave and share the warmth of the flame. There's a deadly chill out there. We don't want you to start dying out on us already! Ha!"

"I have already treaded too far into the deepness of the caverns. What I found deep within the cavern was a different kind of warmth. Such warmth had turned me cold. It had turned me…"

Banquo had taken pause to my words. I could sense that he was trying to contemplate my cryptic response.

"How do you mean when you say that, boy?" Banquo said in a low voice.

"I say it…out of nothing. I merely try to spin words. Idle minds often try to comprehend things out of chaos."

"Is that so? Hmph…well in any case. How has Anteus been brought about? Has Anteus chosen to stay his ground at the gates?" Banquo digressed.

"Yes, he would stay there upon the grounds."

"And should the Undead come pounding upon the gates?"

"He will stay his ground and remain strong. He has resolved to stay his ground and not to move from it. He regrets deeply how weak he had turned when he chose to turn away. I gave him the option before to turn back and he refused. Because he believes as I do. We must take away life in order to preserve it. Even if it means our own."

"There will be many of them staying. Do you believe it to be too many?"

"One life lost is too many. Yet they would stay to sacrifice their own."

"Sacrifice…do you think maybe they have started to believe again?"

"In their purpose?"

"Aye…purpose! A purpose that they, as soldiers, will fulfill now. Fate had only allowed them an extension upon life. They wandered and trudged through what I could only describe as a listless hell. But fate would have them die here. Heh…funny how fate works."

"Do you believe it to be fate? Do you believe that it is our destiny to die here, even when we can not foresee our outcome?'

"You're asking the wrong person, Orias. After all you are the one trying so hard to see the future. Heh, heh…"

Banquo wandered away from the conversation and busied himself with sharpening his axe. I looked out into the storm and a small dark figure appeared quickly from the rainy mist.

It was Menteith. He had covered himself with a long cloak and hood to protect him from the rain. He had rushed past me and headed straight for the fires.

"It's a chilly, gusty, bloody mess out there!" Menteith shouted in a blustered fury.

Menteith warmed his hands and quickly reached in his cloak for the metal flask that was given to him by Kelv. He drank deeply from it and put it down only to take a quick breath.

"What drove you to go out there in the first place?" Menteith's brother inquired.

"Preparation! All for preparation!" Menteith grinned.

"What for?"

"You'll see."

"Ack! Are you at least done with it?"

"No, still a few more things." Menteith said as he looked about the cave entrance.

"Yes…there are still more things to do."

Menteith continued to grin. Banquo shook his head and did not question him any further. Mentieth went on to drink from his flask again. Banquo observed his brother taking more than his usual share of ale.

"Are you nervous, Menteith?" Banquo asked.

"What?! Nervous about what?" Menteith shouted.

"About the attacks and--"

"I ain't nervous about nothing! Nothing! Let them come! I'll blast the bastards back past whatever hole they came from! Nervous? HA! I'm glad they're coming here. I'll show their insides the shell casings of each of my bullets! I'll probably make a new record for myself! Ha ha ha…"

Menteith took another deep sip from his flask again. His brother shook his head and directed his attention toward me.

"Orias! How about you? You're not in so much in denial as my brother are you? Heh…Orias?"

A strange feeling overtook me. I felt faint and weak again. I gripped the sides of the cave wall in an attempt to balance myself.

"Orias?"

"I'm fine. I…I will be in the town hall. Keep watch, Banquo. I will return." I said as I stepped out into the storm.

The town hall was not far from the cave. I was upon the steps of the town hall within a few moments. But I treaded slowly as I felt that I might collapse under the weight of the armor. The armor had suddenly turned heavy upon me.

I entered the town hall through one of the doors. I slipped in carefully and closed the door behind me. The room in the town hall was dark save for a glimmering light of a fading candle stick.

I reached for the walls and ran my hand across it. My gauntlet skidded across its surface as I soon fell to my knees. I was weak. Too weak to hold myself up now.

The candle…the candle's light finally drowned in the very fuel that sustained it. I was in complete darkness.

My other hand that kept me up had finally given way and I collapsed upon my back. I took in long deep breaths. I was desperate to breathe. I felt as if these breaths were my last.

An unfamiliar feeling came over me. I looked through the slits of my helm in a daze. My eyes grew tired of seeing. My body grew tired of movement. I let myself be taken by this feeling. Sleep…I have not known a restful sleep in a long time…

"Orias…" A voice called me from the void of darkness.

I could not open my eyes but listened carefully for the voice again.

"Orias, awaken." The voice beckoned again.

Slowly my eyes grew wide. A renewed vigor had allowed me to stand up again. The voices beckoning had a strong influence upon me. I looked about to find this forlorn voice.

"Orias…"

I looked out in the darkness and found a strange white mist floating about the room. The mist descended and moved out of the room toward the door. I was compelled to follow it. I moved quickly so as not to lose sight of the strange apparition.

The mist fled out of the room to the outside. I reached for the door and flung it open.

My eyes grew wide at the sight.

"Socrates…" I muttered.

The mist had taken form to a ghastly apparition of Socrates. Have my eyes turned to deceive me? Or have they longed to see this old mentor of mine, that my mind has started to play tricks? Yet…I felt strongly that this was the same Socrates that I have known for so long.

"Orias, you must follow. Follow along this path." Socrates had spoken without moving his mouth or uttering a sound.

He had floated along quickly down the path. I followed without hesitation or thought. I was compelled to follow this path.

We have moved through the Central Town toward the peak. I knew this trail all too well that I felt no apprehension or regret with each step. I followed willingly until he halted at the top of the peak.

The ghastly figure did not face me once I arrived at the peak.

"Socrates?"

I reached out with my hand in attempt to sway the ghost's attention. But instead the apparition disappeared. I now stood alone at the peak.

I looked about myself in a wild and frantic search for my missing guide. Where could he have gone? Why did he bring me up here? Of all places why here?

A sharp searing pain struck me again. The armor…it had started to burn into my skin again! It burned more intensely and with an unremitting, painful fire that shocked every sensation that my body possessed. My body did not feel as if it were burning but felt more like a transformation into the fire itself.

Screams and howls of pain fell silent on top this barren peak. My eyes look out toward the skies but I can no longer see the misty, storm. Instead I see the skies had turned into a bloody shade that surrounded the once bleak heavens.

I cried out again in pain and still the cries went unanswered. I would scream for a quick relief and end my torment but the armor weighed me down into this world.

A muttering fell upon my ears but I could not understand. It was faint and unintelligible. Through the pain, I continued to listen for the whisper.

It grew louder but I could not understand the meaning of the words.

"_Fashef laruk Ishaera_…" The voice muttered.

"What…? Why?!" I cried out in pain.

"_Zasephen gellar Rias_!" The voice shouted

The pain had stopped in that instant.

The relief was quick but was a welcome feeling. My body fell but fell into nothing. The solid ground could not be felt upon my back or the gusts of the storm upon my body. I felt nothing.

"_All too simple_…" The voice was now clear and sounded deep within my own mind.

My eyes lay fixed upon the bleeding skies. A sun emerged from the celestial sea of red. I looked intently and saw that the sun was burning with an unnatural color. One that seemed to darken rather than illuminate its surroundings.

"_You mortal creatures are all too simple to manipulate_."

"What--What are you…?" I beseeched the dark sun.

"_Merely dangle an opportunity to grasp power and like so many parasites, you cling and feed off of it_."

"What have…what have you done to me?!"

"_Insolent. Foolish. Arrogant. A wonderful number of these qualities to choose from and manipulate. Is it not so…Orias_?"

"Why have you brought me here? Why?!"

"_Questions upon questions and nothing more. You creatures are better off in lame ignorance. Such is a more blissful state than to suffer the complications. Yet you and so many others choose to direct your own fates, when in truth you have no power. You have no control_."

"Release me…Release me!!!"

"_Again…another futile attempt at control. Were you so willing to offer yourself as a tribute in order to reclaim control? Is that not why you took the power you now possess? Such power you were all too willing to take for yourself in order to purport your own desires. Is it not so, Orias?"_

I could not resist this ethereal, omnipotent creature. It had a hold upon me that I could not comprehend.

"What are you?"

"_I am something that had existed for an age beyond an age. A time when I reigned free upon this realm. Before the blasted Titans had chained me under this shell of a world. I have no name that your kind can comprehend. 'Old Gods' we have been called but more than mere gods we were. But to be cast into my current existence is…a complication that I must step over. My kindred have tried as I have to free ourselves. To be rid of this shell of a world. But you mortal creatures have proven to be almost too resilient and this world persists. Our powers are restricted by the many chains that bind us. But a drop of our will can fill the many oceans of your world. A drop of my power was cast out in the very place where mortal creatures would quickly find it._"

To my horror, I realize what it all meant now.

"_Creatures that had passed into this world. Creatures filled with demon blood. With their desires to claim this world as their own, they were drawn all too quickly to it. They took it for themselves but only to have it pass into another's hands. In thought and theory, this tangible form of my power would fall into hands that would quickly be consumed by it. My will however…was rejected by a mere mortal. The fool had sent it away. Cast aside and for a time forgotten but to emerge again into this worthy candidate. Turmoil and despair reeks within your mind. I have sensed it. But there is also hesitation. Something that must be rid of quickly. Something that I shall amend for now_…"

The sun burned more fiercely in the red sky and its dark light overwhelmed this hellish realm. I was soon consumed in it.

"_Look on and observe pitiful creature. Look on in your wretched state. You shall soon learn the fate of many. The fates that you have so long desired to take control_…"

The relief was sudden. A quick breath and all had become clear. My senses had stretched beyond its former boundaries. Sight, sound, smell, taste, and feeling had turned into one omnipotent sense.

My surroundings quickly changed and once again I could see the cloudy skies and pouring rain. I could feel the whipping gales. But I was no longer upon the peak. I did not feel as if I had existed in this moment. Yet…I see and feel everything.

My newly founded sense allowed me to see where I have been taken. The sight of the muddy trails had led me to the sight of the beaten gate.

By the light…why was I brought to the inner gate? How was any of this possible?

My senses drew me to many different sights and sounds. Every drop of rain that fell upon each puddle, I could hear with the utmost clarity. Each breath the gate guards breathed, I felt as if the breathing was my own. But these senses were not restricted solely upon the area around the gate. I could see Banquo still at work with his axe and Menteith half-awake struggling to stay alert. I could see all these things but my presence was not within this plane. I was everywhere and yet I was nowhere.

Something was amiss…

I felt the link to their presence. I have felt this link before but only faintly. This link between _them_ and myself…they have come again.

The mist did not conceal them from my sight any longer. The whole of their legions were revealed to me. But the sheer sight of their army was a horrible wonder to behold. How can there still be so many left? Is there no end to these monsters?!

The staggering masses waited silently just moments beyond the gate. They kept to the mist as it provided cover from the guards. There was movement however stirring from the front of the bulging masses.

An Undead dressed in strange dark rags and masked in a cloth marked by an unknown emblem. I could see the emblem was a depiction of a raven and a broken mask. I have never seen an army marked with that symbol.

The burning eyes of this ragged one were like that of the Undead I have seen among the meat wagons in the previous attack. This one stood at the head of the army.

It looked out towards the gate and surveyed the surroundings.

The guards at the gate were unsuspecting as the mist misled them to think that nothing was present.

The ragged one soon made a motion with its hand to convey its orders and several skeletal archers stepped forward from the massive crowd.

Each lined themselves on the ground and drew out worn arrows. The bows cricked as they were pulled back and the aim was directed toward the gate. Their targets were each marked by the unblinking dead eyes.

_Why are you showing me this? Is this--?_

The rag wearing Undead dropped its bandaged hand and the arrows were let loose. The arrows cut through the mist swiftly.

"Schell! You got some more of that drink on ya?" Jerry shouted from the other end of the battlement.

"The one that tastes like troll piss?" Schell responded.

"The same!"

"Ugh…here take the whole damn lot of it."

"Ha! Much obliged!"

"Hell it's not worth a damn to me. I hate guard duty. Always have, always will. Damn it…the freezing rain and the blasted wind. Hey Jerry! You done with the drink? Pass it back already, so I can take a sip myself, huh? Jerry!"

No reply came from the other side.

"Jerry?"

The gate guards were caught unaware. It seemed as if nothing more than a swift wind had passed them. The blood that had painted the air alerted them to think otherwise.

"Oh sh--Jerry!"

The arrows had already cut through Jerry's neck. He collapsed to the ground. Schell was quick to sound the horn but it did not take long before he met the same fate. The arrows soon came in swarms and picked off many of the gate guards.

The cannons soon came to life and let off powerful charges in retaliation. Fiery explosions lit up the darkness and spurred the Undead army to advance.

The explosions have let loose the packs of ghouls and skeletal warriors toward the gate. Abominations lumbered behind them in clumsy rows. Clinking sounds again came from the mist. Meat wagons let loose the metallic disks and brought down a hail of iron upon the gate. They assaulted the gate with unrelenting force.

Cries from the gate had brought the many defenders to its aid. The attack was sudden and they were all caught unaware. There was a scramble towards the gate.

Anteus had organized his knights from the chaos.

"Back towards the front of the gate! Bring in the supports!" Anteus shouted his orders.

Shields were brought up around the battlement to protect the rifleman upon it. Mortars were loaded and fired from behind the gate. Intermittent explosions were heard from either the cannons or Gnomish grenades. But these efforts came to no avail.

The scratching and scraping upon the gate was deafening. The ghouls in fervor raked their claws across the gate. The abominations were now tearing upon the gates with their hooks and slamming down upon it with their grotesque massive bodies.

As it was before, the arrows and gunshots penetrated vainly into these hunks of rotting flesh. A tear, a rip, or a spattering of blood was all that was produced from the attacks.

Down behind the gate, a small mass of archers struggled with their arrow volleys. They fired at will and could aim towards nothing but the blackening chaos.

Howls and groans resonated from the crowd of Undead. So many have already fallen but their numbers were too vast to have mattered. Merely drops of their army evaporated in this ocean of malevolent fiends.

"ANTEUS!" A loud shout was heard above the riot of sound.

Banquo and Menteith arrived at the gate and Anteus beckoned his horse toward them.

"How many of the bastards are out there?" Menteith grinned as he asked in anticipation.

"They've come in full force now. The gate will not hold long." Anteus replied.

Anteus looked about Banquo and Menteith.

"Where is Orias? Why is he not here?"

"We--We don't know…he said he was going to the town hall but he wasn't there. I've tried looking for him but he isn't--" Banquo was cut off by a renegade arrow that had narrowly missed him.

"We will have to make do without him for now. How goes the evacuation?" Anteus asked.

"We were all caught with our pants down across the knees, boy! They still haven't organized everyone in the caves yet! Bloody hell, I ain't stickin' around here any longer! I've got Undead heads that need exploding!" Menteith shouted as he ran off towards the battlement.

Anteus looked back towards Banquo. He grimaced heavily and took up his axe.

"There going to need as much time as we can give them so they can evacuate." Banquo said grimly.

"But without Orias we are unable to--"

"No…we ain't got time. We ain't got Orias. But we still got hell to give! We'll hold them down well enough! Bring what horrors that may come! They won't make it past this gate!" Banquo said as he let loose a battle cry and made towards the gate.

Anteus drew out his sword and called for his knights to rally around him. The final battle has come full circle.


	22. Nightmare, Part 2

**Chapter 22: Nightmare, Part 2 **

My senses were torn away from the scene at the gate and out towards the Central Town.

The likeness of this escape to the one in the Capital was all too familiar. The memories of the screams, the blood, and the confusion all came flooding back into me.

A mass of refugees waded from the roadways down to the caves. The pack horses grunted and heaved their loads with quick paces. Soldiers who were at the cave guided the refugees inside. But…where was Sara?

A blur of the scene and silence replaced the chaos. Soft warmth…this feeling came when I was given a new clarity of sight of a different scene. Gabriel and Roland's room came into my focus.

Sara slept soundly upon a bed with Gabriel in her arms. A clattering of hooves and sounds of movement from the outside roused her awake. She lifted her head and peered out the water glazed window.

Sara raised herself from the bed and left Gabriel as she was still slumbering quietly on her bed. Sara motioned towards the misty window. The sounds were no doubt coming from the outside. She placed her hand upon the glass of the window and wiped it slowly away to reveal the chaos that transpired. She knew the attacks have finally arrived.

Sara rushed over to Gabriel's bedside and roused her.

"Gabriel…Gabriel?"

Gabriel's eyes opened wide at the mention of her name. She woke with a start.

"Shh--its okay but I need you to stay calm. I have to bring you outside now. Do you understand that? There will be a lot of noise and a lot of confusion outside."

"We're leaving again aren't we?" Gabriel concluded.

"Yes, we have to leave right now. I need to take you to Jessica and your brother. We need to hurry now but I want you to keep close to me. I don't want to lose you."

Gabriel nodded and Sara took her up by her hand and left the room.

The scene had turned blurry again and a loud painful sound started to ring uncontrollably. My focus was scattered and my senses were brought back to the gate. The sound I discerned was the breaking of the gate by the abominations in their onslaught. The gate would not hold much longer.

The gate rattled and buckled under the severe blows that the abominations have caused.

An array of small explosions lined the front of the gate. The abominations growled loudly in pain as the Gnomish grenades were dropped upon them. The explosions ripped through the many layers of knitted flesh. But the bombardments alone were not enough to bring down the behemoths.

"Taste hot lead! You ugly sunnuva--I'll put enough bullets in ya to fill a damn lake! Why won't you just die?! Argh!" Menteith shouted in a trigger-happy rage.

He stopped only to reload his rifle. The look across Menteith's face was one of absolute frustration and anger. There was little he could do with common bullets against the giant Undead.

Yet another abomination came lumbering from the mist attempting to join the rest that were already attacking the gate. Menteith spotted the abomination quickly as it stood out in the smaller masses.

He put his rifle close to his body and put his eye at the sight. This motion differed from his previous attacks of chain-firing shots. It was a single, stiff and concentrated motion. The finger at the trigger only half pulled.

The abomination lumbered forward oblivious to anything other than that of its objective to reach the gate.

A single gunshot was heard above all others and the bullet whipped past the abomination's head. The attack was sudden and unexpected by the beast. It however felt the bullet passing through its skull and stopped its advance immediately. It stood with almost a dumbfounded look across its distorted face as if it just realized that it was shot. The abomination did not move. It stood stiff and standing above the crowds of undead crawling beneath it.

Menteith did not hesitate to take a second shot. He released the empty shell from the inner chambers of his gun and put his eye at the sight again. But this time he drew his finger away from the trigger. He merely looked on instead. He looked carefully at the motionless monster and the feeling of fear had finally filled into him.

"Banquo!" Menteith shouted down behind the gate to the ground level where his brother stood.

Banquo looked up out toward the battlement and spotted his brother with the smoking rifle in his hands.

"It's a demon!" Menteith shouted.

"What?! Menteith what are you--"

Menteith drew his attention back to the standing abomination. An unmistakable burning mark glowed upon its forehead. The abomination's guttural cry echoed out into the storm and it was soon set ablaze. The flames melted away at the flesh and the gruesome body was soon engulfed in a ball of fire.

An effervescent glow of red and yellow flame turned to a sphere-like shape. Out from this fiery egg came horns, wings, and hooves. Menteith was now facing a daemon of the Burning Legion. The malice and evil aura layered the entire area. How can these demons still walk in Lordaeron?

The demon raised aloft its burning sword out towards the thundering heavens. The skies turned from ashen gray to a hellish shade of red. The demon roared and a hail of fire streamed from the clouds. Hail stones of flame came crashing down upon the gate. A rain of destruction poured down upon the guards in a merciless display. I can not stand to see this massacre.

_Release me! I can not let them die! Release me!_

But my cries were lost in the void. This phantom will hold me to watch these scenes. Cruel prison warden…test me through a gauntlet of tortures! Cast me aside to the darkest, hell realm! I would endure anything but this!

_Let me go to them! Let me go…_

I now realized my struggle was futile. I could no longer sense the ethereal being but its hold upon me remained. These invisible chains that bind me in this middle plane are all that keeps me in this prison. I can claw away at this miserable dungeon endlessly and not see a sign of escape. I am but a prisoner in this realm.

Menteith fled from the battlement as did many of the other guards. The hail stones ripped through the battlement and even into the cannon rooms. The cannons themselves were abandoned and left to the flames. The fires trickled closer toward the stores of gun powder.

"Get yer' asses down! The place is--" Menteith was interrupted by the explosion of the cannon room above him. The explosions shot through the door and sent him tumbling down the stairway.

Molten steel and stone debris fell through into the stairwells. The cannon rooms collapsed upon themselves and the guards of the battlement were able to limp away to the scorched ground below.

The gate's stone structure started to crumble away. Abominations took advantage upon the weakening resistance. The gate doors creaked open.

Finally prying opening the gates wide, the undead masses flooded in. The ghouls were the first to enter. With amazing bounds the horrendous beasts reaped through the ranks of the guards.

The ravenous fangs fell quickly upon the horrified soldiers. The quick rush of the monster's attacks left them exposed to suffer agonizing pains. The soldiers on foot were unable to withstand the flood.

A clatter of hooves rushed toward the aid of the soldiers. Anteus was ready to match the ghouls attack with one of his own. His knights rode down and raked away the ghouls from the other soldiers. He drew his sword up skyward.

"Knights of Lordaeron! Warriors of this sovereign land! Fight on! We live to die! But die to live! Let these monsters know that they may take our lands but they can never take this nation! Protect what is most precious to you! Drive them back!" Anteus spoke with his might to rally the scattered soldiers.

Banquo joined the battle with the rest of the oncoming foot soldiers from the rear guard. He took the two hand axes that he kept at his side and heaved the bladed edges out towards the ghouls. The axes hacked the skulls of the unsuspecting targets and both ghouls fell dead.

Banquo made use of his heavy axe and swung it roundly about him. And with heavy blows fell upon skeletal warriors, shattering their bony frames. Banquo's attack was relentless as he cleaved away at the masses. He was hurricane upon the undead army. A path of destruction was laid down and the soldiers beside him were given breathing room to launch their own attacks.

Banquo was however overconfident in his attack. He was caught unawares of ghoul rushing from his hindsight. The ghoul had knocked him to his knees with an initial body blow and fell upon him with its fangs. Banquo was in dire straits as his axe was the only thing that guarded him from the ghoul that was about to tear into him.

A loud crack was heard above him. The ghoul's head was suddenly blown asunder. Banquo reclaimed his footing and looked toward the direction of where the sound had come from.

Menteith let loose the hot empty shell from its chamber and laughed loudly. He had managed to escape the stairwell unharmed.

"Alright how many of you bastards want to see what I can do with my boom stick?! HA HA HA!!!" Menteith said in a craze.

Menteith raised his rifle again and let loose another round of shots. The bullets raked through the crowds of the amassing Undead. Menteith grunted in frustration.

"Ack! No use going in range. Put on your bayonets, boys! We gotta cut through'em if we want to get anymore shots in!" Menteith shouted to the other rifleman struggling to combat the Undead that were closing in on them.

The battle was upon the cusp of immediate destruction. The gate guards have only contained the undead swarm. At every passing moment, the Undead's masses grow larger as their forces pushed through the gate.

The demon that had cast down the rain of fire has of yet moved from its place. The desolate eyes of the demon remained fixed upon the broken gate as the undead forces passed under it. The demon's reserved action disturbs me greatly. It seemed as if it was waiting for something.

Anteus' knights have reined a tremendous advantage over the ghouls and skeletal footman. These mounted warriors attacked in full force. Their speeds allowed them to avoid the abomination's vicious attacks and allowed them to retaliate with quick succession.

An abomination was beleaguered by three knights who attacked the gigantic beast in turns. With lances and spears, the heavy dead flesh was reaped away and bled the monster until it collapsed upon itself.

Anteus' knights had demonstrated the reason to why they have survived for so long out in the hostile wilds. They have steeled themselves through the hardships of their pasts. Their eyes have seen their homes burned and their loved ones lost. Their anger was exerted upon the cause of their sorrow. Resolve and purpose drive them to fight these horrors.

Anteus drove his horse back to the rear guard. He had heard cries from some of the soldiers that called his attention.

"Anteus! Some of the bastards have slipped through! There heading for the town!" Menteith cried out from the chaotic crowds.

Anteus did not hesitate to draw his bow towards the escaping ghouls. He beckoned his horse forward while he let loose a slew of arrows toward his quarries. His arrows were followed by several gunshots made by Menteith who trailed behind Anteus' horse.

Anteus had suddenly stopped short of his chase. He was caught off guard by an arrow that ricocheted off his armor. He looked back at the ensuing battle and realized he could not stray or otherwise abandon his men into the consuming hordes of Undead.

"Ride back! Anteus! Ride back!" Menteith said quickly with sharp breaths in between his words.

"But those stragglers that have run off…" Anteus addressed.

"I'll take some of my boys to hunt them down. I'm headin' off to the caves and I'll watch over the refugees. You'll have to hold off the rest of the decayed wretches with my brother."

"Very well…I trust them to your protection. May you succeed in your endeavor as we will try in ours."

"Aye, but it isn't a matter of success. It is all a matter of will! Will to succeed, Anteus! And remember to die well! To a good death, Anteus!"

Anteus tapped his rifle once with his hand in salutations to Anteus and ran off with his rifleman. Anteus rode back into the battle.

My senses blurred again and I recoiled in pain to a loud resounding shriek. The cry came from the different scene that had settled into my sight again. It was the scrambling of refugees upon the muddy roadways. The run away ghouls have already started to attack.

It was as wolves to unguarded sheep.

The scrambling refugees had little means to defend themselves. They did the only thing that they could do to save themselves. They could only run away.

I directed my senses upon the frenzied crowds. I was looking for them. Where could they have gone? Have they already left for the safety of the caves?

I drew my senses towards the stone sanctuary. Through the crowds I was able to discern a distinctive figure. It was Roland.

He waded through the crowds escaping towards the cave. He fought against the tide but was barely able to avoid being trampled.

Roland struggled and was motivated to make his way through. He was however slighted from his journey when he was suddenly pulled back,

"Roland! What are you doing?" Jessica shouted as she held firmly to Roland's arm.

"Let me go! Let me go! She's still out there! Gabriel--" Roland protested.

It was by the expression in Jessica's face that I knew she was in anguish. She drew Roland close to her and looked out toward the direction of the gate. She looked on frantically and in desperate hope to spot the missing face that Roland searched for.

Instead, Jessica found a familiar face.

"Bailey!" Jessica shouted for the healer among the crowd.

Bailey caught sight of Jessica and rushed over to her side.

"Bailey, have you seen Gabriel or Sara?" Jessica inquired pleadingly.

"No, I have not seen either of them. Gabriel was not with you and the other children?"

"She stayed in the orphanage with Sara."

"Then this is grave indeed. The Undead have already made their way into the town. They have already started to attack the ones behind us."

Jessica's eyes grew wide and her hands trembled slightly. In a sudden motion, she carried Roland up into her arms.

"Will you please take Roland to the caverns with you, Bailey?"

Bailey complied as he took Roland into his own arms. Roland protested but Jessica calmed him.

"I will look for your sister. I won't be long. Please Roland, I beg you not to wander off again. Stay at the caverns and I will return with your sister. I promise, I will return."

Jessica took one of Roland's hands into her own to reassure him before she left. Roland looked on with a helpless look as he was carried off.

Where has she gone?

I used my senses now to scour the town in a desperate search for at least a sign of her.

Different scenes passed into my sight. The scenes ranged from battles at the gate to the gathering mobs at the caverns. I had finally settled upon a scene of a group of refugees at the town square making their way to the caves. I found Sara and Gabriel among them.

Sara beckoned Gabriel forward as she grasped her hand firmly with her own. She weaved through the escaping masses and advanced quickly through the traffic of refugees. A scream was heard from behind and the pack horses started in response. The ghouls have reached them.

The scramble had turned into a desperate rush forward. The refugees pushed and shoved through in a frenzied escape towards the cave now. Sara was now stopped and shoved away to the sides. She clung to Gabriel and drew her away from the panicked rush.

Gabriel was frightened at the loud horrible noises. She held her hands over her ears in attempt to block out the sounds. Sara again tried to attempt to make her way through the crowds with Gabriel. The panicked crowd allowed little movement and the situation had turned grim. The ghouls took advantage of the chaos and continued to reap the groups of refugees for hapless victims.

A pack horse bucked furiously when one of the ghouls advanced towards it. It cast off its load and made a mad rush through the escaping refugees. The unfortunate ones who were caught in the horse's path were knocked forcefully aside as the horse tried to make its escape.

As the horse made its mad rush, refugees moved quickly to avoid getting trampled. Sara was struggling to keep her footing. She was caught unaware when the horse came near and brushed passed her. The brush was quick but the force was powerful enough to knock her down. She lost her hold on Gabriel and fell to the ground.

She was in a daze. I could feel the pain at her side where the horse had struck her. She tried hastily to regain her footing and stumbled slightly as she did.

"Gabriel? Gabriel!" Sara shouted out into the crowd.

She now lost sight of her. She had lost Gabriel in the crowd. There was a look of horror on her face when she had realized this.

Sara started to search for Gabriel in vain. There were too many faces in the crowd. Sara called out for her but her cries were smothered by the panicked noises of rapid foot steps and intermittent screams.

More of the Undead have started to arrive. More of the ghouls have made their way past the gate and into the town. They hungrily hunted the refugees. One of them caught sight of Sara and made a rush for her.

Sara took hold of her spear from its sling and raised it towards the oncoming ghoul. She quickly made a thrust and the ghoul was skewered by the spear. She withdrew her spear from the dead ghoul's body. The attack however attracted unwanted attention of some of the other ghouls. The ghouls changed their targets from the helpless refugees to the armed maiden.

Sara took a separate path from the escaping refugees luring the ghouls away from them.

After running a distance, she turned and faced down the horrid beasts as they continued rush towards her.

Sara utilized the length of her spear to create a deadly attack range. The bladed end of her spear ran through the ghouls before their claws could ever touch her. Sara spun the spear quickly around herself when the ghouls attempted to surround her. The spear had suddenly appeared to be a whip that whirled around her. The quick blur tore through the ghouls and hacked away at their decayed forms.

In a brush of luck, Sara had finally caught sight of Gabriel. She was at the far end of the town square now. But she was not alone.

The ragged one appeared with others of its kind. Their burning eyes were set upon the refugees as they drew out their jagged daggers. They advanced upon them.

"NO!" Sara shouted and cut through another ghoul that blocked her path.

She leapt and bounded across the muddy path. The ghouls bounded after her. She was unable to outrun them and had to bear down to fight them again. The fangs bore closer to her now. Her attacks were no longer concentrated. Her focus was divided between the ghouls and Gabriel.

_Gabriel…Gabriel!_

My cries could not reach her. Gabriel could only run away with the other refugees.

_What can I do? Why am I left so helpless? Why can't I save them?!_

The scene blurred and a sharp pain ran through me. This pain was similar to the arrow wounds I received. The sharp edge of the arrow head felt lodged in me.

The scene changed back into the battle at the gates. Banquo appeared wounded on the arm by an arrow.

He broke the end but had no time to examine the wound. He was still in battle with an Undead in strange plate armor. This one wore a helm of bone and its burning eyes were made obvious through the slits of the helm. The Undead's sword fell down upon the wounded Banquo but Banquo deterred the blade with his axe. Banquo made several lashes upon the Undead's plated armor in retaliation. He continued to bang upon the armor until the body of the Undead had become deformed. Banquo made a final hack at the neck of the Undead and did away with its head.

Banquo was victorious with the bout but looked on out toward the gate. Anteus' knights have made great head way into the undead forces. His knights seemed ready to close in upon the Undead that have seeped through the gate.

A sudden rush and loud clang upon metal with metal. A knight was unhorsed and fell dead to the ground. It was as if a sudden blur had passed him. I did not see what had caused his death until I refocused my senses.

_What is this…?_

A thing that seemed to move with unholy speeds. It seemed almost to be a knight upon a horse. But neither rider nor the horse was of the mortal kind.

The horse seemed to be some kind of hell steed. It breathed puffs of flame from its nose and held a profane look upon its eyes. The horse's charcoal skin blended with its dark surroundings enabling it to pass through the field almost undetected by unwary eyes.

The rider was no doubt an undead; there was no pulse of life that runs through the veins of this being. It hid behind a helm crowned with three curved horns and a plated mask that resembled a human's face. This unholy horseman armed itself with a spear that ran the length of its hell steed and a bladed head that separated at the tip to three pointed edges. The sight of this monstrosity was an abhorrent sacrilege of the image of the once noble warriors that stood to defend this land.

This rider was not unique however. Three others that had rode in on their own hell steeds. Each of these horsemen was like the first in appearance and stature. The incomparable speeds of the black horses had allowed the horsemen to strike quickly and scatter the other knights on their terrified mounts.

Another of Anteus' knights challenged a horseman with his lance. He urged his horse to rush recklessly toward the mounted demon. The Undead rider took notice of the charging knight but did nothing. The horse and rider stood perfectly still for a moment and held its ground. The rider did not so much as lift its spear to take part in the joust but instead left it hanging at its side. The knight riled his horse into a final mad dash with his lance directed toward its target.

A loud crack and grind upon metal against metal. Simultaneously, the sound of flesh being run through with cold metal. The hand of the victor holding steadily to the spear that gorged into the body.

The Undead rider looked upon the dying knight. Surprise and utter bafflement was portrayed on the knight's face. The motion was too quick for him to see and he estimated that his lance was longer in length and was able to meet his target before he could retaliate. He had not seen…not as I have.

The Undead rider's reflexes were quicker than that of the ghouls. The spear that the rider carried had disguised its true ability. At the very moment the knight approached within striking distance, the rider twisted the spear round and the spear immediately extended itself to impale the knight.

The Undead rider lifted the knight from his horse with a display of incredible strength. The knight helplessly squirmed in pain as he was lifted up. The knight was held over the battlefield like a speared fish upon a stick. The Undead horseman was mocking him as the knight stared down upon its pallid metallic face.

Another blur came from the battlefield and an arrow had suddenly gored itself into the undead rider interrupting it in its sadistic play.

Anteus was arched his bowstring back again as he rode furiously towards the Undead horseman. He aimed again at the only visible weak spot below the metallic chest plate.

The Undead rider took action and threw down the knight upon his spear. The knight was tossed aside and the spear wound bled freely from the impact. The Undead rider fled the scene as Anteus' arrows followed it.

Anteus stopped his horse at where the knight fell. He discovered the knight was already dead. In fury, Anteus took up the knight's dropped lance and rode after the murderer.

The Undead horsemen were making quick work of Anteus' other mounted knights. The motions of each horseman were almost in unison as if they were of one mind. The Undead rider's objective suddenly changed when they started to ride away from the battlefield. They were riding towards the Central Town.

Banquo caught sight of the approaching horsemen and readied his axe to strike but it was too late. The horsemen rode pass him in quick succession before the even the tip of his axe fell upon the legs of the hell steeds.

Banquo utilized one of his remaining hand axes but the throw fell short as the riders were at too far a distance away.

Anteus caught up to Banquo.

"Banquo! The riders…"

"Chase after them, Anteus." Banquo said between quick sharp breaths.

"I need to stay at the gate to defend--"

"Defend the refugees! Not the gate! It is a lost cause here, Lieutenant. Those riders will do more damage right now than the Undead here. Go to them."

A roar echoed the canyon. The demon had started to march forward menacingly. The aura of its killing intent flooded the battle grounds as the burning sword was raised on high.

"Fly, Anteus! Go to the ones that need to be saved! Fly!" Banquo cried out.

With that, Anteus drew his horse away in anguish and fled from the battle field toward the Central.

Banquo ran out toward the gate to face the demon who calls for his destruction.


	23. Nightmare, Part 3

**Chapter 23: Nightmare, Part 3**

_Breathe the last breath, those who are fated to die._

_Those precious breaths of life… are few._

_Bleed, sweat, and toil…but inevitable destiny can not be avoided._

_It is the end, Orias…_

Banquo charged towards the demon. He rushed forward towards his overwhelming opposition and did not falter in his step. His axe rose to strike against the demonic hide but his efforts fell short.

The demon retaliated at the charge with a flick of its gigantic tail. The attack was swift and unexpected. Banquo could not react quickly enough to dodge the demon's blow.

Banquo was flung from the spot where he was hit and landed into a muddy pit. He was reeling in pain. His pain was my own. I felt the blow and the subsequent pain afterwards. Several ribs, along with several other bones, were effectively broken in his body. He tried to raise himself despite this.

Banquo grasped desperately at the drenched ground, attempting to get a hold. The ground he held quickly slipped from his fingers. He was in dire straits now that he was left helpless on the ground.

Other warriors came to Banquo's aid, trying to deter the demonic beast away from him. Arrows flew out against the demon but were ineffective as its hide could not be pierced. Demons such as these were not easily brought down. Their ferocity…their strength…are born from the pools of evil that spawn them. These demons born from hate, malice, and contempt have come to destroy us all.

Banquo rose slowly to his feet. He dragged himself up from the muddy pit and raised his axe again. His eyes were fixed upon the marauding demon.

_What makes them continue, Orias?_

_What?_

_What drives them to fight their fates? Their deaths have been predetermined. So why do they continue to fight?_

_Release me._

_This is all a vain attempt to survive. _

The demon raised its fiery sword and cut down the guards. They had no time to catch aflame; they were incinerated in an instant.

_Release me! Let me go to them!_

_And what drives you to protect them? An ill-fated defender to a flock of doomed and ragged mortals. _

_I am charged to protect them! It is my duty…_

_Duty? An unfettered loyalty to them? Is that why you bound your fate to theirs? Is this what is called courage? No, stupidity at best. Tell me…had you no doubts in your mind? _

_I am not concerned with--_

_You are lying. You had doubts from the start. Did you not question the loyalty of your own kind, when they abandoned you? After all, where was their loyalty to you? _

Banquo cried out again and charged the demon. The demon stared down upon the dwarf and raised its sword again.

_I am not concerned with the past._

_But you are. You carry with you many scars of your past. Your father's abandonment, your mother's death, and the slaughter of your warrior kin…that is why you feel the fear that fills within you now._

_Release me, demon…_

_You feel lonely and helpless in this plane. You are detached from those who you deem are precious to you and that is the reason you fear this isolation. That is the reason you fight so hard for them, so that you may never experience it. To be separated from those you love most. To see them die and wither away. To leave you without purpose, without being, and without identity. _

_Release me…_

_Regardless…fear in itself can not warrant for this illogical motivation. So I will ask you again, Orias. What drives you to fight the inevitable?_

Banquo came within cutting distance of the demon. His axe's edge cut close to the demon but the demon's sword fell upon Banquo.

_Banquo!_

The demon's sword stopped short as it fell upon its target. The demon ceased to move. In truth, it seemed as if everything had stopped in that one moment.

The blade burned furiously but its target was not incinerated. The blade that cut down many but it did not cut down the one that stood before it. Banquo's hand remained firmly upon the blade stopping it from bringing it down upon him.

The dwarf's hands have changed from its fleshy exterior to one of cold stone. The transformation did not cease upon the hands but instead spread to the entire body.

The demon withdrew its blade and stepped away from the dwarf that suddenly grew to a size comparable to its own. The demon still stood at a higher length but did not view its target as insignificant any longer. He was a threat.

Banquo cried out again as his transformation completed. His once oversized axe now stood to be no more than a hand axe as he was wielding it in his new form. He fell upon the demon with greater fury than before. His axe cleaved away at the demon's hide finally showing the mortality of the demon.

The demon attempted to cast its flame upon Banquo as he did with the guards but the flames could not melt away the stony exterior. Banquo came down upon the demon with its axe again and clipped away at one of its wings. The demon shrieked and backed away again.

The Undead around the demon scattered as it fell to its knees. Banquo was within triumph but the demon did not relent. It lashed its tail out again and Banquo fell backwards. This allowed the demon to regain its footing and hack away at Banquo's upraised arm. The sword merely chipped the hard exterior but the blow was a considerable one. Banquo retaliated with a swift hit to the side of the demon's neck. The axe lodged itself demon's neck but it was not deep enough to sever its head from the demon's shoulders. Banquo continued to press down upon the wound, in hopes to clear the cut to the other side of the demon's neck and severing its head completely.

Neither a shriek nor roar came from the demon as the Banquo continued to push his axe inward. The demon held fast to Banquo's arm and continued to stare at him with its soulless eyes. The demon released its hold upon his sword and used its other hand to hold fast to its attacker. Why was this demon only holding down upon Banquo instead of thrashing him about?

Banquo remained focused upon his target ignoring all others. His desire to kill the demon left him blind to his surroundings. But I was capable of seeing all.

There were many corpses that littered the battleground. Some the ghouls fed upon before they continued onward, while select others remained to rot. But there was a distinct disturbance from this battlefield graveyard.

A burning mark glowed from one of ghoulish corpses. Another mark glowed upon the fallen abomination. The corpses started to burn away.

Banquo remained fixed upon his effort to cleave away at the demon's head. The demon's eyes remained fixed upon Banquo as it held him.

Banquo did not realize it. I could not believe it. The battle field now drowned in the aura of evil. Two demons fresh from their fiery reincarnation slowly walked towards an unaware Banquo.

Before I could make an attempt at a cry of warning, a piercing scream interrupted my senses again. My vision blurred and the sight of the battlefield soon disappeared from my sight. I was brought back again to the Central Town.

The streets were now empty. Only a lone figure walked through them now. Gabriel stumbled across the road. She was crying, confused, and hurt. A bleeding wound was visible on her right leg. A wound that might have been caused by the violent scramble that first separated her from Sara. She looked back at the road behind her and then looked at the winding trail in front of her.

Had she lost her way? No…she knows the area too well.

Gabriel stumbled behind a broken wooden hovel. There was a small space that she could fit in and she quickly hid herself. Something was hunting her.

She stifled her breaths and gritted her teeth. The pain from the wound had only gotten worse now that she had remained still. There were footsteps behind her. She heard them and they were close.

It was the ragged one. The Undead that first launched the attacks upon the second gate.

It steadily looked about its surroundings before it had started to move again. This Undead was hunting methodically. It had slowly observed its surroundings before it moved again. The burning eyes shifted from one fixed point to the next.

Gabriel could hear the ragged one's footsteps draw closer to her. In that moment, she froze and did not release so much as a whisper of her breath. She closed her eyes and feigned death. She would resort to this extreme to remain hidden.

The ragged one stopped by the small wooden hovel. No breaths were heard and no movement had caught the attention of this Undead. However, the hunter did not move from its place. Instead, it cast its bandaged hand out toward the storm. The palm of the ragged one's hand collected the drops of rain that fell from the heavens above. The water in the palm turned from its clear state to a tainted gray. The ragged one now extended the hand that cupped the water over the small, ruined hovel.

Gabriel remained still through all of this. The fact that she could not hear any more footsteps did not lower her guard. She could still feel the hunter just beyond the wooden barrier.

The ragged one let the tainted water slip through its bony fingers and land upon the wretched roof of the hovel. The liquid seeped through the wood as if it were any other drop of rain through the hovel and down toward the still figure that resided in it.

A drop of the gray liquid touched upon Gabriel's wounded leg. Her eyes immediately opened and her lips pursed together.

She wanted to scream.

The wound from her leg shot to a new level of pain. Another drop of the poisoned liquid fell upon her leg. She could bear it no longer and let out a small whimper. It was a fatal misstep.

Wooden chips flew an inch above Gabriel's face. She saw the bandaged hand had ripped through the wooden barrier and she quickly took to her feet. She stumbled away from the ruined the hovel. The ragged one instinctively realized her movement and approached with a languid swagger of its feet. The ragged one must have realized his prey was already wounded. Another blade was drawn from a hidden sheath amid the rags the Undead hunter wore.

Gabriel's staggered movements were not enough to escape the sight of the ragged one. I could not bear the sight. She cried piteously as she continued to desperately escape. The scar on her leg burned more painfully and hindered her movement.

It was only moments after her flight from the ruined hovel; she was already on the ground. She could not bear the pain to go any further. The hunter was now only a few steps away from her.

_I beg of you to stop this._

_Inevitable fate, Orias. If she was meant to die, then she is meant to die. It is unavoidable._

_Spare her life! She is only a child! _

_Futile, Orias. All life here is futile. All of it is disposable and meant to be manipulated by powers beyond your own understanding. Fate is not meant to be molded by mortals. You above all others should understand this._

_So you will force me to watch this atrocity while I can only stand by and do nothing?! _

_Understand this, Orias. You could do nothing to save them to begin with._

The ragged one finally approached Gabriel. The single blade stood poised above its head.

_Stop this…_

A cold swift motion and the hand fell.

_GABRIEL!_

The hand that held the blade stopped short. Blood streamed down upon the bandaged hands. A clatter of hooves could be heard driving through the muddy roads.

The ragged one fell dead. A spear was skewered through its skull.

Gabriel raised her head at the sound of the ragged one landing near her. She scrambled away as far as she could from fallen pursuer. She saw the hooves of a war horse. And riding upon the horse was Anteus.

"Are you hurt?" Anteus said as he dismounted.

Gabriel clutched tightly upon the cold, wet armor that Anteus wore as he took her into his arms. Anteus was careful in lifting her from the ground to the saddle of his horse.

A guttural cry was loosed by the ragged one as it shuddered.

Anteus turned and drew his sword upon the ragged one. The undead however fell back to the ground and moved no more. Anteus sighed in relief and turned back to Gabriel.

"I will take you to the caverns. Hold tightly to the reins of the horse as we will be riding quickly."

Gabriel replied only by stifling her cries.

"Don't cry. I will bring you to safety. I promise you."

With that, Anteus mounted the horse with Gabriel in front of him on the saddle. He spurred his horse forward in a dash. The horse was madly driven forward. There were sounds of battle not far behind them.

Undead now poured into the Central Town in small groups. They scoured and destroyed everything in plain sight. This was a frantic search for the survivors. Instead of finding helpless survivors, bands of militia sprung from hiding places to attack the small groups that leaked into the town. Rifleman railed upon the undead from the rooftops of the houses. These tactical efforts did little to deter most of the Undead however.

An arrow skidded across Anteus' armor. He turned to find skeletal archers that have entered through the side roads. They had been following him from the gate. Anteus spurred his horse to make another sprint. They were close to the caverns now.

A rogue arrow flew out and hit Anteus' horse in the neck. The horse continued to madly dash forward until it fell dead. Anteus was tossed from his mount along with Gabriel. He however leaned forward to take the brunt of the landing. Gabriel was still in his arms.

"Anteus? Gabriel!" A cry from the road beyond Anteus, it was Jessica.

Jessica ran to Anteus' side. Anteus let go of Gabriel and pushed his large buckler from his back to his arm. He immediately raised himself to block the arrows that launched from the approaching skeletal archers.

Gabriel cried and sought out for Jessica's arms. Jessica hugged Gabriel warmly and took her up from the ground.

"Take the girl and run!"

"Anteus--"

"Leave! I will cover your escape!"

Anteus drew out his sword and ran toward the skeletal archers. Jessica took heed and left quickly, never looking back.

Anteus drove his buckler into the nearest skeletal archer and bashed its frame against a wall of a stone walled home. His sword flew through the air and cut the other skeletal archer by the arm.

An Undead emerged from the shadows, one of the ragged one's Undead that bore the same insignia, and drew its daggers upon Anteus. Anteus flung his buckler to knock the Undead to the side but in doing so left him open to an arrow attack. A skeletal archer took the opportunity to find an open niche in between Anteus' armor and fired upon it.

A sharp pain shot through Anteus' leg. Anteus had no time to cry out in pain, the ragged one's Undead was on the attack again and cleaved upon Anteus' buckler. Anteus turned his sword and drove the blade through the ragged one's Undead. The Undead let loose a guttural cry and dropped its daggers. Anteus plunged his sword deeper into the Undead and then took hold of one the daggers that had fallen to the ground. He flew the dagger toward the skeletal archer; the dagger was caught by the skeletal archer's skull. The skeletal archer was unfazed by the fact that it now had a dagger lodged in its skull. It drew out another arrow. Anteus kicked away the Undead that was on his sword and rushed toward the skeletal archer drawing its second arrow.

Before the skeletal archer drew at the bowstring, it stared down at the end of Anteus' sword blade as it was driven through shattering its skull.

Anteus breathed heavily and looked about himself. He could not see any more Undead but could still hear the sounds of battle all around him. He turned roundly about him toward the streets. The mist hindered his line of sight and he perceived that he was alone. He was mistaken. There were others among him.

A different clatter of hooves was heard from the side roads. An undead rider emerged from the mist. The black hell steed's eyes were the first things that caught Anteus' attention. When Anteus stared down at the rider, he had realized it was the same one that he tried to hunt down. But Anteus realized that he was at a disadvantage now that he had no horse.

The rider beckoned its black steed forward with the side of its spear. Anteus stood his ground, presenting his buckler in front of him.

The rider twisted the spear and it extended out towards Anteus. The spearhead raked across Anteus' buckler. Anteus spun about and attempted a swing at his attacker. His attack fell short by a hair.

Anteus stood with great strength against the undead rider. The charge should have knocked him to his feet but he stood upon the earth unfazed. 

The undead rider raised its spear towards the sky as if hailing Anteus. Anteus heard more clatter of hooves. More undead riders came from the side streets.

Anteus was surrounded.

_To every warrior who stands to face their fate…death, fulfillment, and destiny. _

My sight was forced away from Anteus and the scenes of the struggle within the Central Town. My focus blurred again and my sight had turned to the caverns. The last of the refugees were entering the dark abyss of the caverns, ushered forward by the soldiers who were at the end of this destination. Menteith and his men had reached the site. The rifleman perched from the rooftops of old homes and held fast to their guns. Discerning eyes caught the invaders in their deadly sights and brought them down in a single act of judgment.

The storm raged with unrelenting fury. Menteith created his own thunder and lightning. A crack from his rifle and another Undead fell.

"Fifty-eight…" the dwarf whispered to himself as he loosed the empty shell from the chambers in his rifle.

Another target fell into his sight. Not a moment was spared. The trigger was pulled and the shot fired.

"Fifty-nine…"

The next empty shell clattered against the rooftop as it was released. Menteith positioned his gun again. He could hear more movements coming from the path. His finger was already at the trigger. A single eye remained fixed on the figure coming from the rainy mist.

The figure moved slower than a ghoul. Menteith patiently waited for the figure to come into his full sight.

Menteith saw his target but he quickly withdrew his finger from the trigger. He set his gun down and rose from his crouched position.

"Bloody hell! Jess?! What is she--is that a kid with her?"

Menteith raised his hand to warn the other gunners to hold their fire. Menteith frowned and cursed under his breath.

"Damn it! Looks like she didn't come alone!" Menteith took up his gun again.

Another figure from the rainy mist followed her. The movements were akin to a ghoul and Menteith determined it must have been a hungry one judging from its rapid movement. He raised his gun up again and looked down upon the path.

They were too close. The ghoul was too close to Jessica. There was too much movement and too much mist obscuring his sight. The finger was on the trigger and his eyes were set on the sight that was in front of him. But the concentrated, firm motions were gone. His hands shook causing the gun to go unsteady. He checked himself and forced the shaking to stop. He knew he could not afford to miss. I knew he could not afford an error but he is in conflict. He needs to shoot. He needs to decide. His finger upon the trigger was still shaking and unwilling to make such a decision.

Jessica struggled to keep ahead of the beast behind her. She breathed sharp breaths at each step. The ghoul had already come too close. It made its final leap toward her.

Menteith's rifle cracked again and another empty shell fell against the roof of the home sliding away. Menteith released a long held breath and gasped for air. He lowered his gun and laid it limp at his side.

"Sixty."

The ghoul was left with a hollow void in between its eyes. Jessica did not stop after the shot was heard. Jessica held Gabriel closer and fled to the entrance of the cave. As the shadow of the cavern enveloped around them, they disappeared from sight.

A pattering upon the mud roads again echoed with the sound of not just a single ghoul but many. A new flood of undead now seeped through the roadways. An unruly mob of beasts were hungrily rushing toward the caverns.

Thunder and lightning rained from the rooftops as the shooting resumed. Menteith was however more resigned and did not participate in any more of his games. His gun was lowered and his hand searched through his pouch. A small gleaming silver rod was revealed from the pouch.

The very tips of the rod were sculpted heads of dragons adorned with crimson jeweled eyes, facing in opposite directions. Menteith slung his gun over his shoulder and kept both hands on the silver rod. He looked carefully at the rushing tide of undead heading towards the cavern. They were only few breadths away before they entered.

Menteith twisted one of the dragon's heads from the right to the left. The eyes of the dragon head gleamed.

The flood was stopped almost instantly.

A chain of explosions ringed out from the cavern. The force of the blasts ripped the approaching ghouls apart. When the dust settled the entrance of the cavern sealed under debris and fallen rubble.

"Beautiful. Simply beautiful." Menteith grinned to himself.

The remaining ghouls were denied entrance and access to the refugees that have fled. It did not take them long to realize that there were still others that they could to feed on. The ghouls rushed back towards the dwarves on the rooftops.

"Let's bring'em in boys! Still more fun to be had! Ha ha ha!" Menteith laughed as ran across the roof. The other dwarves joined him, laying cover fire as they fled.

The river of the undead has grown in the Central Town. It now fills up the roadways, drowning all in its path.

_An inevitable end…to an inevitable path…they breathe their last, Orias._

My sight had returned to the scenes at the gate.

I could not believe what was revealed to me their. Every last knight, soldier, and warrior were dead. The blood of the fallen had turned every puddle of water to red. By the light…how can this all be? What twisted fate must we all fulfill? This morbid curse of destiny! The blood that must be spilled to slake the thirst of ill fated destiny!

The sight brought me back to the gate and I saw Banquo still holding firm to the demon.

The burning blades were raised. The demon looked on with empty eyes at Banquo. Its head was almost severed across. Banquo struggled grievously to make the final separation. His hardened hand shook with great force.

The blades fell quickly and the struggle disappeared.

The sharp pain that speared into Banquo's consciousness was too quick for him to realize. His stony exterior started to crack and crumble away. His hand that held his axe had started to deteriorate as scales of stony flesh fell from it. The demon that he held continued to look on at him with its dead eyes but a taunting smirk seemed to don its face now.

A cry of rage erupted inside of Banquo. The hand moved swiftly and knew nothing of pain. The head fell to the mud.

Banquo turned upon his attackers, robbed them of the grip upon the blades and his hand fell upon them as well. Two blows cut through them and two blows had killed them. As he had done this, his stony frame had finally collapsed. The mighty stone figure had at last fallen. Banquo was no more.

_Bring fall to all leaders and their sons, Orias. Bring fall to all of them. Bring fall to the sword that upholds self-righteous justice…_

The scenes change but the storm was constant.

A shattering of the shield and I could now see Anteus being bared down by the four Undead riders. His buckler was now longer of use to him. He cast its broken frame aside and took to his sword.

The riders slowly circled around him. Anteus kept his focus on each of them. The riders looked down upon him from their mounts. Their guised masks were haunting. A cold exterior of a human face, forged into a grim impression of the helm. The eyes were made of cold steel in place of the flame that the others held. The four statue faces stared at Anteus unblinkingly.

One rider broke from the circle and charged at Anteus with its spear. The charge cut close to Anteus but the spear end failed to meet its target. Anteus retaliated with a swift swing but cut at the hell steed instead of the rider.

Another rider came from the circle and charged in the same manner as the first. Another failure to meet its mark. Anteus was quick to catch sight of the spear and his sword had met it.

The third came from the circle and caught Anteus off balance. Its spear raked across his armor, breaking his once firm position at the center. He fell to his knees.

They were all taunting him. They were once again playing at their sadistic game. Satisfaction need not show upon their steeled faces. Their actions alone were enough.

Anteus struggled to bring himself to his feet. He had nothing left to raise himself up. Yet he stood above the upturned earth.

_What drives them to fight, Orias?_

_Purpose._

A final charge from the circle. Anteus was not quick enough this time. The spear had sealed his fate.

The rider drove its spear deeper into Anteus. Anteus held fast to the spear in one hand and his sword with the other. He raised his sword to fight it. He failed to.

Another spear drove into him from behind by another rider. His sword fell from his grip.

Last two spears drove into him from his sides. Anteus gasped for air as his blood now coupled with the rain that spilled unto the ground.

Anteus let go of the spear and faced his head toward the gray heavens. He slowly raised one of his hands out toward the sky. Precious drops of rain fell upon his palm, cleaning away the blood that was left on his hands. He gripped his hand and an unsteady smile slowly came across his face. His hand then fell limply at his side and the eyes of the soldier fell still.

_No more…I beg of you no more._

_Realize this, Orias. There will always be more. It is inevitable. It is fate._

Single shots ring out in a lonely alley of the Central Town. Menteith was against the wall, firing out against a crowd of Undead. They have cornered him. His fellow gunmen were all dead on the ground. He stood above them as the last.

Ghouls charged ahead and bullets greeted them gratuitously. At every gun shot that was heard and another ghoul fell. Menteith wasted no time. For every shot, for every kill, there was no quarter wasted upon the ravenous horde.

Empty bullet shells were strewn around him. He no longer counted how many he took down now. He already knew he was making a new record for himself.

The ghouls now feared to approach. Menteith did not cease in his attack. He started to pick away at the group. Another shot burst from his rifle. Another ghoul's skull was blown asunder. Menteith cocked his gun again.

He pulled at his trigger. An ominous clicking replaced the expected gunshot.

He pulled the trigger again. No shot was fired. His gun chamber was empty.

Menteith did not move. He had to take a few moments to take the realization to account.

When he did, he lowered his rifle and chuckled to himself.

"Should've bought more bullets." Menteith continued to chuckle.

He tossed aside his rifle and reached into his pouch. His hand found the metal flask with the precious liquid he had inside. He unscrewed the top and turned the flask upside down. There was nothing left.

"Heh, seems like I'm running empty on a lot of things today."

Menteith tossed aside his flask and searched through his pouch again. He revealed the metal dragon rod once again.

"In the end, maybe I knew."

Menteith looked around himself, seemingly focusing on the houses surrounding him. My sight revealed something in the houses. There were wooden crates among all of them.

"Maybe I knew it would end this way."

Menteith's hand was now at the second dragon head at the bottom of the rod.

"I didn't want to but…Hilda…I'm sorry."

His hand rested firmly on the dragon head. The ghouls now charged towards him.

"Blaze and glory."

Menteith twisted the dragon head from left to right. A chain of explosions erupted from the houses on both sides. The alleyway was encompassed in smoke and flame. Menteith fell from my sight as did the rest of the Undead in that alley as it was covered in the fire of the explosion.

_No…it was not their sacrifice to make._

_You are not the one who decides that Orias._

_Take me back._

_What drives you to fight it, Orias?_

_Take me back!_

_Is it her?_

_What?_

_Is it her? _

_No…_

_She has a destiny to meet as well, Orias._

_No…_

The scenes changed to the town square. I saw Sara now. She was alone and yet she was not. The Undead army had now spilled into the Central Town. She was surrounded.

She had seemed to hold her own for a long time. The bodies of the ghouls that surrounded her were a testament to this. She kept them away at a distance; her spear had sought to this.

_Is she reason enough to fight? Did you want so dearly to change her fate?_

_Stop this now._

_Have you learned nothing? Or do you just choose to remain ignorant? There is nothing that you could have done for her, Orias. She was not meant to be saved._

I tried desperately to pull myself away from the middle plane. Whatever force I possessed, I struggled to rip myself away from this plane and return. I will not stand idly by for this. I will not…

_So spins the wheel of fate, the string spun across at different distances, ready to be cut in the end._

I stopped in my struggle when I sensed something coming through the crowds of the undead. Something that had not caught my attention before. A dark figure coming from the mist.

Something shrouds this figure from my sight. There is no clarity of sight. I see it only as the dark hooded figure that slowly passes through the crowds. It was no familiar sight and yet I have sensed some remote attachment to this figure that passed over like the darkest cloud in the sky.

Sara ripped away at another ghoul that was caught too close to her and positioned her spear to attack again. Heavy breaths and a worn countenance were apparent signs of her struggle. She has yet to relent.

The undead that surrounded her stopped in their advance. They proceeded only to stare at their fiercely, cornered prey. Sara kept her spearhead in front of her. She could still see no movement from the crowd. Anxiety slowly built inside of her.

The dark hooded figure now stood among the crowd of the undead. A single arrow was drawn and placed upon a crafted bow.

_Damn you! Take me out of this prison! I can still save her! Sara!_

Sara drew her attention away from the crowd. Her head spun around. Had my call reached her? I beseeched her again.

_Sara!_

"Orias?"

Sara turned at my call. The arrow was already loosed. Sara's eyes grew wide and she stepped back too late. Blood flowed from her neck.

_NO!_

Sara could not speak. The arrow head pierced through her neck. A shade of crimson lined her lips and blood seeped at its sides.

A second arrow was loosed, this one at the center of her breast. This wound bled freely. Sara dropped the spear that she held in her hand. She collapsed to the ground, her head resting on the bed of mud beneath her. The rain dripped faintly upon her face as she looked up. Her eyes remains fixed at something in the distance. Tears streamed as freely as the blood. Her lips moved but no words escaped them. Sara…I…

Sara's lips fell still. The lids of her eyes slowly passed over her fading eyes. Her head finally resting at its side.

I looked on but I could not believe it. I could not accept it.

She was gone.

I had sworn to save her. I had sworn--was it not enough? Why then…why couldn't I save her?!

_Do you realize now, how it is futile to resist a fate that was already been predetermined? _

_Your life is not your own, it is only to be meant to be manipulated by others. The power you have been given, Orias, is not meant to change fate. It is meant to supplement it. Garner the hatred that you feel inside you now, Orias. Let it consume you. Burn away this wretched world that has caused you this pain. Its final retribution at hand!_

The world around me now turned red. Every sense burned to unimaginable extents of pain. I writhed and screamed out as the entire red world came collapsing around me. I could see the dark sun rise and explode in a brilliant crimson light.

A new breath of life flowed into me and my breath restored as I made the first gasp of air. The world of red receded around me and in its place calm light shined upon me. Feeling was restored to me. All my natural senses back into its original order.

I opened my eyes and saw the radiant light that shined upon me. I had returned to the peak.

I raised myself from the ground and looked about me. The peak was the same as it was when I had first came. Then where had I been? Was it all a light-forsaken nightmare? What was I made to see?

The armor still weighed heavily upon me but I raised myself in spite of this. It would have seemed the rain had finally stopped and there was a break in the storm. I looked at the skies above me. There were peaks of piercing through the gray wall and shined radiantly. It was a sight I have not seen in a long time.

Maybe it was all a dream, a distorted dream.

I looked out at the sky again. I noticed a faint gray cloud hovering above the Central Town. In horror I realized, it was a cloud of smoke and ash.


	24. Light

**Chapter 24: Light**

I walked in the shadows of the ruins. A dark encompassing shadow has fallen upon this place. My steps were slow and unsure in this dark encompassing shade. I looked about myself and could see only what once was. I still hear the faint laughter and celebration of life that once filled this town. But my sight sees only the empty barren of destruction that was waged here. This town has become a shallow grave for them all.

I continued to walk among the ruins. A driving force compelled me forward. I was drawn forward to discover what truths laid before me, what the sight had revealed to me, and what words the forsaken god had spoken to me.

Step after step among the ruins of old and escaping the night behind me. I was drawn toward the lights that pierced through the dissipating clouds of the subsiding storm. The reflected light upon the moist ground turned into a brilliant sea. In this sea, I saw a lone figure floating above the light.

I saw her…the resilience of life had all but left her. Her skin had turned pallid and her streaming hair was cast at her side. Her lips had turned crimson in the blood that had streamed from her mouth. Had I but seen her eyes at the moment of death, I would not have believed her dead. She still looked as beautiful as she did when I was brought by fate to meet her.

I remembered how she cried in the rain. I remember how brash and stubborn she was. I remember those concerned eyes that fell on me that day. I remember…the promise that I had sworn to keep to her.

I kneeled down beside her and drew her body close to mine. As I held her in my arms, I did not shed any tears. An experience of inexpressible anguish had washed over me.

I was taught long ago…that the purpose of a warrior is to protect what is most precious to them. As I have lost everything that is precious to me…I am no longer that warrior. I have failed to protect them.

As I held Sara in my arms, I sensed that I was not alone in the square. Four riders came from different directions, surrounded me in every direction. North, south, east, and west they were set in fixed positions.

Through the slits of the helm that were bound to me, I saw their steel faces. They were looking down upon me with unmoved eyes and raised their spears at my direction.

I laid Sara down to her rest. I drew my sword from the hilt. A surge of power erupted from the very core of the armor. I was soon enveloped in its flame.

A charge from the circle and the four horsemen rode at unholy speeds.

I was consumed by the flame and I became part of the inferno.

In my sight, there was nothing but flame.

Nothing but flame and ash.

_So falls the sword that was held so tall and firm_

_So falls the shield that bared the weight of battle_

_And so falls the last true warrior of Lordaeron _

_Shed not tears for those fallen_

_As the world of old is burned away_

_Rebirth comes with the new day_

_May no evil take a good man in either life or death_

_But pray that no man take that evil within themselves_

_For such ends are no means of salvation_


	25. Author's Final Notes

**Author's Final Notes**

I would like to thank all my readers for taking the time to read this fanfic. I especially have to thank my friend, Shayna-chan, for inspiring me to continue and finally finish this story; I dedicate this story to her and all my readers who have stuck with the story in the long run.

I was first inspired to do this story after playing the first campaign mission in the Undead Frozen Throne campaign. The story ideas just exploded from that point to what it is now. I can hardly believe that I managed to finish it after all this time. It only took me about 2 years to finish but it is an accomplishment that I will take to heart. I again want to thank my readers who have stuck with me in the especially long hiatus periods of development. I do this as a hobby in between all the other obligations that I have. But I am glad that continued and finished this story as it tested my mettle as writer. I thank all the reviewers who have put in the time to write reviews. I like to hear what aspect of the story you liked (or heck if you didn't like something say so) as it helps me know where to improve on.

For those readers who are sad to see it end or just downright outraged at the ending, I have new for you; it doesn't end here. I am putting into the works of developing an ending sequel to "Last Warrior of Lordaeron". I have titled it as "Requiem of the Damned" and I have few more surprises in store, so look out for that in the (hopefully) nearby future.

I will continue to write as long as I'm willing. It's my aspiration to author my own book one day. For now, I'm just taking steps towards that goal.


End file.
